


Code Geass: Broken Blade

by GuardianSoulBlade



Series: Code Geass: Broken Blade [1]
Category: Code Geass, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works (Anime 2014)
Genre: Angst, Arturia conquers Britannia, Canon-Typical Violence, Code Geass Crossover, Code Geass: Broken Blade, Dialogue Heavy, Drinking, Drinking & Talking, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fate/Stay Night crossover, Fate/Stay Night/Code Geass Crossover, Fingerfucking, First Time, Fondling, Heavy Angst, Loss of Virginity, Oral Sex, Romance, Romantic Angst, Route: Unlimited Blade Works, Sexual Tension, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Violence, fate/stay night - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2019-07-10 17:28:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 35,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15954110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuardianSoulBlade/pseuds/GuardianSoulBlade
Summary: Summary:"You shall be broken on my will, though you all were made of steel." The Britannian Empire broke the King of Knights; the Red Dragon is rescued by The Demon Lelouch. Together, they will obliterate Britannia.





	1. The Wounded Dragon

**Code Geass: Broken Blade**

**Summary:**

_"You shall be broken on my will, though you all were made of steel." The Britannian Empire broke the King of Knights; the Red Dragon is rescued by The Demon Lelouch. Together, they will obliterate Britannia._

* * *

**The Wounded Dragon**

For a long time, the King of Knights lay dreaming, dreaming of what had been, and what could be. She regretted many things, but she retained her ideals.

Then Saber heard it, the bell that was to wake her when Britannia needed her.

Arturia was not greeted by men with politeness and dignity, instead, she was dragged out, and given a sedative before she could fight back, her instincts had failed her in the brief moments between sleep and wakefulness.

It was then that Arturia Pendragon knew that she was no longer dreaming, but she was wide awake in a nightmare.

She was brought before a tall imposing figure; she could tell that he was a monarch by his clothes and speech.

"Arthur, King of Britannia, I Emperor Charles Zi Britannia offer you a Kingship, if you swear to serve me, we shall conquer the world for ourselves, Britannia is a grand country where only the strong survive to trample on the weak!"

"Perhaps I would be flattered by your words Your Excellency if I had been brought to your country in honor, given great gifts and a fine feast to celebrate my return. What kind of man snatches someone away when they awake from sleep?"

Saber glared at him, "You can save your excuses, the men that retrieved me were little more than ruffians and thugs! Do not think that mere flattery will keep me from seeing what you truly are!"

"I would not serve a cruel tyrant, though he clothes himself in finery and calls himself an Emperor," Saber snarled at him. "I would rather die!"

"Death you may yet crave from me, as a boon!" the Emperor told her. Charles Zi Britannia gripped her chin in his hand, forcing her to meet his hard, cruel gaze.

"Take her to Area 11, break her and when she is finally broken, have her quell the peasant commoners there. It is far enough away that none know the legends of King Arthur there."

"Bring me a sword," he ordered a guard. It was brought to him.

"You shall be broken on my will, though you all were made of steel. I could use my Geass on you, but your legend says you are immune to magic."

He broke the sword over his knee and a shard slashed Arturia's face drawing blood, but she did not flinch.

They dragged her to a transport and locked her away. Saber only knew that pain and suffering awaited her. Where was this Area 11? What foreign land would be her prison? Where was Merlin?

When she arrived she was taken to the local prison, where political prisoners were kept. In terror she searched through the prisoners when she realized that they were Japanese, looking for Shirou, she was relieved to find he was not there.

The Britannians took great delight in showing her various medieval torture devices. It made her shudder. Of course they would use those barbaric instruments on her, as a way to torment her more.

The torture was unending; every day was filled with torment and agony. Floggings, beatings, crushing her fingers in the thumbscrew and when she refused to scream, they dragged her into another room.

The Knight of Ten, Luciano Bradley gloated over her. "Look, Your Highness, a chair fit for a king!"

They forced Arturia to sit on the chair, pinning her with a heavy bar. The chair was covered in spikes, even on the arms.

In agony, she let out a scream and all she heard was the despicable knight's laughter in her ears.

"I swear, by my faith, so help me God, I will one day obliterate Britannia!"

With those words, she sealed her fate, she would escape, and she would crush this horrible rotten world under her steel-toed boots.

* * *

Lelouch Vi Britannia had unexpectedly drifted into a deep sleep. He rarely slept, he was so busy between his school life and leading the Black Knights he rarely took the time to really rest.

_In his dream, Lelouch looked up and saw the Lion of Britannia, the symbol of Britannia shown on their flag. The body was that of a lion, but the lion's tail had a snake's body and head at the tip._

_To Lelouch's surprise, it was battling a great Red Dragon, it was a fierce battle, but the Lion struck the Dragon down and tormented it relentlessly. It roared in pain and fury but it could not escape._

_The Red Dragon flapped its wings and tried to fly away, it struck the Lion with its claws but it had no effect._

_The battle was terrifying and yet fascinating, and Lelouch was horrified, not even in childhood had he experienced such a terrifying dream._

_Lelouch watched as the lion ripped the Dragons' flesh and bit it, Lelouch could only watch as the Dragon turned and looked at him, pleading for his help._

_That was when he woke up._

"That was a strange dream," Lelouch muttered to himself.

He looked up as Kallen Stadtfeld entered the room.

"I have received word of a dangerous weapon recently brought to Area 11 by the Britannians, they said it's one that will win the war for them," Kallen told Zero.

"What can you tell me about this weapon?" Lelouch asked in his "Zero" voice.

"Her name is Elise Watoson, we don't know anything about her, but she was classified by the Britannians as high priority and top-secret."

"Who gave you this information?" Lelouch looked at her.

"He said his name was Lord El Melloi II, he sent me a video message."

"How did he find out about her?"

"He said a man named Myrddin found out about her," Kallen replied. She folded her arms. "Do you think this is legitimate?"

"I'm not sure, but if Britannia does possess a powerful weapon, then we should steal it from them and use it against them."

They gathered the Black Knights. "We're going to steal a high-value target from the Britannians. She's a very valuable prisoner to them, so she might have intel regarding the military."

The Knightmare frames headed out late at night. They surrounded the prison.

"Open fire and breach the walls, free as many prisoners as possible while I go secure the main objective! Kallen, C.C., you're with me!"

The Black Knights opened fire and Lelouch and Kallen rushed in on foot as the guards moved to engage the Knightmare frames, Kallen and Zero shot anyone who saw them.

Lelouch found the prison manifest and found the name "Elise Watoson".

Kallen shot the guards dead and Zero found the keys to the cell and opened the door.

Lelouch gasped, there was a woman, chained to the wall, covered in blood, her body was in awful condition, it was apparent that she'd been tortured.

"C.C., who is this?" Lelouch asked, staring down at the injured woman, chained to the wall.

The exiled prince of Britannia touched her hand and reeled back as an image assaulted his mind. The image of a great Red Dragon badly wounded and in pain, roaring with rage and fury. He was both terrified and fascinated but did not understand the meaning of the strange vision.

Lelouch realized that the nightmare that had woke him earlier that day was about her. But who was she that he could have a prophetic dream about a complete stranger?

"Who are—" C.C. began to ask.

"Saber, my name is Saber," she gasped.

Her bloody eyes fluttered open and her gaze fell onto the man, he wore flamboyant black clothing and covered his face with a mask. It was an elaborate disguise to be sure.

C.C. the Immortal Witch gazed upon the broken Red Dragon of Britain. She felt a connection to her but did not know what it was.

Lelouch couldn't help but be drawn to her eyes, they were emerald green, she was beautiful, but what drew him in was the hate and rage he saw there, Saber's eyes burned like a green flame, and it drew him like a moth to it.

She hated Britannia, no matter who or what she was, she would join him, her hatred was equal if not more than his own.

_Is she a military official? Someone who spoke out against my father, they called her a "weapon", is she a tactician or a knight? Britannia prefers to execute dissidents, so why haven't I heard of her on the news? The name Elise Watoson is clearly an alias, who are you really Saber?_

"Zero, we need to take her and go, the Britannians are coming!" Kallen Stadtfeld told him.

Kallen Stadtfeld opened fire on the guards as they approached. Lelouch used the keys they had obtained from the guards outside to unlock her chains.

Lelouch caught her as Saber fell into his arms. He reached up and wiped the blood off her cheeks.

Saber was startled, his touch unclenched her heart, and she could breathe again.

"Kallen, have the others released all the other prisoners?" Lelouch asked.

"Yes, Zero, we have," she replied, running ahead of them, gunning down any Britannians who stood in their way.

"Then it's time for the Black Knights to withdraw," he instructed as they evacuated the prison.

Saber wished she had the strength to laugh, _How fitting that the King of Knights should be rescued by these so-called Black Knights._

These people were hardly what she could call knights, but they had knightly hearts to say the least. She suspected this man calling himself Zero had come up with the idea as it made for excellent propaganda, it was apparent that this was a group rebelling against the government.

The Knighmare frames escorted them away, shooting down any pursuers.

They made their way back to their hideout, the small team of medics examined her, but they shook their heads. There was nothing they could do for her.

They lay her on a couch as Zero began to question her.

"Saber, what did they want from you?" Zero asked her.

"They wished for me to become a pawn to control their areas. I refused," Saber replied. "This country is unjust, the strong trample upon the weak, they are led by worthless rulers who would rather crush the weak than defend them. A just rule, guided by just laws; those are the true duties of a king or an Emperor."

"That is a fine speech, who do you think you are? Arthur the King of Knights?" Zero's voice dripped with sarcasm. Those words were easy to say, but such idealism did not exist in Britannia.

"Call me Wart!" Saber smirked, it was the truth, but he clearly wasn't buying it, which didn't matter to her in the least.

"How amusing, Saber, enough talk of myths and legends, let's get back to the present. What do you know about the Britannian military?"

"Nothing, I know nothing," Saber replied.

"Then what are you?" Zero asked.

"I am a Knight of Britannia that is all you need to know, I refused to follow the Emperor's direct orders, and I was sent here."

"The Emperor's direct order?!" Lelouch asked in surprise, she'd spoken to his father, was she really so important to him that he would have her tortured?

"We don't have the resources to give you proper medical care, unfortunately, if we take you to a hospital, they might find you," Zero told her. What was he to do with an injured woman with no medical care or technology to care for her?

"Take me to Fuyuki," Saber instructed.

The other Black Knights balked at her. "Fuyuki?! Fuyuki is a myth!" Tamaki shouted.

"If we go to Fuyuki, I can be healed there," Saber explained.

"She's out of her mind!" Tamaki smirked.

"It really exists? Then why haven't the Britannians found it yet?" Kallen queried.

"I don't know, but I can take you there, but only three of you," Saber told them.

"I will go; I will take C.C. and Kallen with me, is that acceptable to you, Saber?" Zero glanced at her.

"Yes, I will take you with me," Saber was thoughtful.

"If we humor you and take you there, will you join me?" Zero asked.

"Only if you allow me to make my own decisions when I fight."

"Fair enough," he replied, she was in no condition to fight at the moment.

Still, all this talk of myths and miracles shouldn't seem too strange, he did possess Geass and that could be considered magic to ordinary people.

Saber glanced at C.C. "Do I know you? I have seen your face before, but I cannot recall where, hmmm."

Saber was thoughtful, _Once I get to Fuyuki I will be healed of my wounds, then I will grind this country to dust!_

Lelouch saw her clench her fist, he saw a look come to her eyes, and he wished he could harness that hate for his own purposes. She clearly did not approve of him, but she did not refuse his help either, he would win her to his cause soon enough.

Lelouch smiled confidently, he had a good feeling about her, now then, he would have to find a mythical city. He wanted to laugh; it felt like something out of the Arthurian myths, like searching for the Holy Grail.


	2. Furnace Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arturia's injuries are healed and she ponders the events of her life.

**Furnace Heart**

The ride to where Fuyuki is supposedly located was ridiculously long. Lelouch found his time occupied with reading  _Hamlet_.

Kallen and C.C. were there, Saber said little, focusing on keeping the pain from manifesting itself physically.

They disembarked from the train. They found Zero's contact, a lovely woman with purple hair.

"Saber!" she cried out, in a concerned voice.

"Sakura, I wish we could meet under better circumstances, take me to Shirou."

She led them to a car and they began to drive. The outside became extremely foggy and Lelouch couldn't see anything.

They drove for several minutes and suddenly the dense fog cleared up.

Kallen gasped, "I can't believe it, it looks like the war never happened here!"

"It's true, Britannia was never able to conquer this place," Sakura Matou explained.

"But how?" Kallen asked.

"Magic," the young woman replied.

If Lelouch hadn't possessed Geass he would have laughed at this idea.

"Where are we going?"

"To Shirou, he'll be able to help; after all, he does have it with him."

She drove them to a beautiful Japanese mansion. They stopped at the front door.

"Take off your shoes," Sakura instructed.

Lelouch, Kallen, and C.C. did as they were told.

"Saber, you're back!" a handsome man with white hair greeted her. She smiled warmly at him.

"Shirou, I need your help."

"If you want  _that_  I can make it right now," Shirou replied, raising a hand.

"Not in front of them, they will wait out here, and we will do this in your room."

The three were stunned, "What do you mean by that?" Zero demanded.

"It's not whatever you're thinking of, now wait out here, she will return shortly.

They walked away and Zero kept trying to figure out what was going on.

Inside his room, Shirou traced Avalon and gave it to her.

"I'm sorry they took you away, I tried to find you, but I couldn't," Shirou apologized, bowing in Japanese fashion.

"It's not your fault, but now I will be healed of my wounds and then I will punish them."

"These Britannians can't stay here, no matter who they are. They are the first non-Japanese people we have let in here, but that was because you called us and told us you were bringing them to us."

Arturia sighed, "I had hoped that you would let us stay for a meal at least, I loved your cooking, Shirou."

"I'm sorry, but there's no time for that, but we'll meet again here soon. I have business in the Tokyo settlement."

"Then we'll meet again, Shirou," Arturia smiled.

"I'm glad you're back, Saber, at long last, you'll fix everything."

"I am not a knight that worked miracles, but I will change this country, even if I have to destroy it."

Saber got up, "Give Rin my regards."

Shirou nodded, smiling.

Arturia Pendragon walked out under her own power much to the surprise of Zero, Kallen, and C.C.

"Well you're awfully quiet," Kallen looked at Sakura.

"I don't like Britannians that much," Sakura glanced at Zero.

"But you know Saber," Kallen protested.

"She's not a Britannian."

_She's not? But why would my father want her to become a viceroy or a commander then? Unless his racist speeches are a farce. We do have an Honorary Britannian system but it doesn't really mean a lot in the grand scheme of things, honorary citizens rarely move up in the world._

Just then, Rin Tohsaka walked into the room.

"Saber!" she smiled, pulling her into a hug.

Arturia patted Rin on the back. "It's so good to see you!"

"I wish you could stay, but we're very wary of your friends there," she gestured to them.

"It's all right, there will always be other times," Arturia smiled.

"Take care of yourself, if you call us, we'll come running," Rin smiled at her.

"I will."

Rin glanced at Lelouch, "Zero, I swear to Christ if you make my friend cry, I'll take a soldering iron to your eyes!"

"I'll remember that," Lelouch gulped. He left with the others.

They left Fuyuki as quickly as they came, there were more important things to do.

* * *

"You won't be staying with the Black Knights, it'd be too suspicious. You'll be staying with me," Lelouch told her. My name is Lelouch Lamperouge, and you're an old friend of my mother's from overseas, isn't that right Elise Watoson?"

They had arrived back home without drawing any attention to themselves. Lelouch changed out of his Zero costume before they arrived.

"If you insist," Arturia replied.

Lelouch removed his helmet and she saw his face.

She was stunned, it was like seeing a ghost, it was as if he'd come back from the dead.

" _Aldwin…_ " Arturia murmured low enough so he couldn't hear her.

Aldwin Vi Britannia, also known as Aldwin X, was someone well known to her, and now his face had returned to haunt her in this era. Arturia gazed at Lelouch.

That man. He was her childhood friend and one of the few people of her time that knew of her true gender. He was cocky, vain, egotistical, and he'd always been interested in her, in the  _physical_  sense.

Aldwin X was known for his stunning good looks, his never-ending dalliances with women and his utter incompetence as a strategist on the battlefield. "Britannia's Royal Jackass" is what the Britons called him; she knew this era's history books would not be so unflattering.

Arturia noticed a woman in a maid uniform bow and greet Lelouch.

"I'm sorry My Lord, I've been busy entertaining your sister, I'll get dinner started right away."

"Don't worry about it Sayoko, it's fine, I'm not hungry right now," Lelouch smiled.

He took Nunnally's hand, "This is an acquaintance of mother's, she's visiting from overseas. Her name is Elise Watoson."

"Elise, this is my younger sister, Nunnally," Lelouch introduced her, letting Arturia take her hand.

"It's nice to meet you," Nunnally replied, taking her hand. She gave her a strange smile. "You do have an…interesting name."

"I'm sorry Nunnally, I have to go do homework," Lelouch informed her. "Would you mind keeping her entertained until dinner?"

"I don't mind at all," Arturia gazed at the young teenager. She was a polite, sweet girl and she was very important to Lelouch, she could see that from his interactions with her.

"Shall I tell you a story, Miss Nunnally? There are several classics here, perhaps, K _ing Arthur and his Knights,_ or something else."

 _Please say no, I'd rather not read their drivel if I can help it_ , Arturia sighed.

"I don't like that story very much."

 _They think alike, by my faith, am I hated everywhere?_  She looked at the young lady.

Sayoko offered Arturia a cup of tea. She thanked the maid and drank it quietly.

"It's not that I don't like the adventures of the knights, but the king's childhood is so boring, it's not that interesting to me."

"There are….other versions of those stories, you know," the King of Knights suggested gently. She didn't want to look like an "anti-historical dissident" after all.

She touched the girl's hand, "What if I told you that Arthur had an older brother growing up like you do."

"That's not what they teach me in school, but it would be interesting, I won't tell if you won't."

"I won't tell then," Arturia smiled and started from the beginning, telling the truth about her father, Igraine, and Merlin. Nunnally seemed surprised to say the least.

"Milly would love this version of the King Arthur story," Nunnally smiled.

"Why is that?" the young woman asked, curious.

"Because she's a big perv, at least that's what Shirley says," Nunnally answered.

Arturia spat her drink out.

The blind girl laughed.

Arturia continued her story, and for the first time, someone actually seemed interested in her life and it made her feel better.

* * *

This is Arturia Pendragon:

Arturia Pendragon is many things, the King of Knights, the Beautiful Flower of the Battlefield, the Bear King, the Red Dragon of Britain.

The story of her life has been told and retold over the centuries, but the Britannians insist their account is historically accurate.

Uther and Igraine were married in Cornwall, and they consulted Merlin asking for his aid in helping them conceive a son.

The son born to them was Arthur, an only child that grew into a handsome man raised in the royal family and given the finest education under the care of Aladwin IX.

The King was able to pull the Sword of Choosing from the stone and became Britannia's greatest king and named Aldwin X, the wisest knight of the Round Table as his successor.

The Arthurian scholars insist that the whispers of incest and other unsavory tales of the King of Knights are propaganda by Britannia's enemies to undermine their greatest king.

Of course, the truth is different, she was not raised in the lap of luxury but as the "son" of a humble knight, Sir Ector, who is conveniently missing from Britannian records.

There are other stories, but they are censored in Britannia, and questioning the historical accuracy of the records is tantamount to questioning the royal family, which is dissension.

Her life was not as grand and glorious as the stories made it out to be, but the blatant lies the Britannians wove into the truth made the tale of King Arthur the perfect propaganda for them to boast of the country's might, to boost both their martial and prestige.

Though Arturia had lived what she thought was a grand and extravagant life, the Britannians considered her to be poor and weak, the splendor of Camelot made them sneer with derision and scorn, though they never said such things in their textbooks.

She had finally grown tired of the arrogant who looked down on her and the ideals she held deep in her heart. Now she would crush them and let them taste the wrath she had restrained her entire life.

People always assumed they knew everything about her when they spoke their self-righteous judgment.

_"The unattainable dream she held so dear was certain to explode flare that would burn her to ash. The tears of bitter lamentation she shed, how sweet they'd have tasted as she lay there dying."_

Saber clenched her fists, if she had any true regrets regarding the events of the Fifth Holy Grail War, it would be that she had never been able to cut that blonde-haired twat, the Archer to pieces with her sword. Shirou had chosen to fight him in her place instead; she had disappeared after Rin had ordered her to destroy the Holy Grail using her last Command Seal.

_"You glorious fool who strives to achieve that which man was not meant to have. In all of heaven and earth, none but I Gilgamesh am the only one who can truly appreciate your destruction. You who shine so brightly yet so briefly, come to my arms, this I have decided!"_

That arrogant bastard, he'd met his end well enough. Still, she hated that man immensely. But her thoughts turned to the other man she had hated, the one who had dishonored her chivalry and dared to lecture her as if he knew how best to rule a country! Reeling from the emotional distress of the death of her opponent Diarmuid Ua Duibhne she had balked in shock like a naive princess rather than an indignant king!

_"Honor, glory. There's no point in talking to a killer who extols the virtues of such things."_

What did Kiritsugu know of war? He was what this era referred to as a hired gun, he did not charge out openly onto the battlefield, he lurked in the shadows, shooting people from a safe distance, he was prone to using explosives and poison, what did he know of honor? He had also committed the gravest betrayal of keeping her from the Grail and forcing her to destroy it!

_"Knights call certain methods of fighting good, and others evil, acting as if there were some sacred nobility to the battlefield. Such illusions created by heroes throughout history have led countless men to their bloody deaths, all for the sake of this "glory" and "honor" they all extol."_

_"They are not illusions! Even the taking of a life in battle, has an act of a human being, must have ideals! Otherwise, every war would bring the very fires of hell to this world!"_

_"And there you go, you heard her, Iri. Our Heroic Spirit over there considers a battlefield to be better than hell. What a joke. A battlefield is hell itself. There's no hope to be had on one. There is nothing but unspeakable despair. Just a soulless cry we call "Victory". Paid for by the pain of defeated. But humanity has never recognized this truth. And the reason is that in every era, a dazzling hero has blinded people with their legend. And kept them from seeing the evil of bloodshed they bring. True human nature has not advanced a step beyond the Stone Age!"_

How she mocked him now, the blood-stained sinner dared to lecture her about morality and war! Did that man have a band of brothers, a family that he had fought and died alongside? Did he have to bear the burden of having to be haunted by the memories of all the people who died, that you couldn't bring home? He knew nothing of such things, and yet he thought himself her better!

For all this pathetic posturing, he was just an ignorant fool, he had never had the heavy weight of a crown, along with having to protect a country that was constantly being invaded by foreigners that envied their prosperity.

He could have chosen to live a good life as a mage, been a true member of the Association and found a way to achieve his goal of saving the world without dishonor and his underhanded schemes as a lowly beast.

Oh, if he could see her now, he'd love her cynicism and pragmatism and praise her attitude to the heights of heaven now! How like him she had become, and yet, his ideas to sacrifice few to save many was not lost on her, she had once sacrificed an entire village to feed her hungry soldiers to keep morale high! As if he could have done better in that situation!

Now Kiritsugu was dead, rescuing Shirou had changed him after she had destroyed the Holy Grail. Still, she had not forgiven him for what he had done to her.

He had wounded her more deeply than any Noble Phantasm.

For most of her life, Arturia had thought of her heart as a candle. Candles provide light in the darkness and are often used to light churches and homes, the light of the candle had been snuffed out by Kiritsugu Emiya, but now the candle had been crushed by the Lion of Britannia, and in its place she had a furnace for a heart, and the flames that ignited what was left her heart and it would flare out and reduce the lion of Britannia to little more than ashes and dust.

The kindling that fueled the fire of her furnace heart was grief that had transmuted into hatred. It grieved her deeply that the country she loved had never truly returned from the ashes of what she had left behind.

Arturia tasted the bitterness of her failure. She had failed to lead her country, and her country did not protect her king. How she longed for the days when her greatest failure had been rescuing the Duchess of Brittany from a giant! At least she knew that it was not because of anything she had done; only this time her failure as king left behind emotional scars that refused to heal.

From the conversations she had heard, Britain was now a republic. The land had no need for a king. A king is nothing without his people, her country had left her, save for the mages in the Association.

The most unforgivable thing that had occurred was the realization of the Britannians and what they had done to her legacy. They were Anglo-Saxons and as Anglo-Saxons, they were her enemies.

Arturia was looking at the book  _"The History of the Emperors of Britannia"_  and began to read a passage about the King of Knights' early childhood.

"After King Uther was poisoned by assassins, Merlin took the boy and placed him under the care of….Aldwin IX the man Uther appointed to watch over the Kingdom while the King grew up…."

She began to quickly read more pages, not one mention of her boisterous brother Kay, not one mention of the only man she'd ever called Father, the good Sir Ector. What she read was utter nonsense and made up drivel.

She was frantic now, what else had they changed?

She'd taken to searching through Lelouch's history books, the Britannians claimed that Ambrosius and Uther were the descendants of Aldwin I, in truth, they were not, she knew this for she knew her own history.

What sickened her the most was a particular passage that stated that the King refused to accept the service of any knight who was not a "true Britannian".

Arturia laughed, what about Sir Lancelot? He was French! They seemed to ignore that aspect because it was convenient.

They had turned her into a racist monster, praising "him" for embracing the ideals of "Saint Darwin" thousands of years before his time.

Sir Morien was a black-skinned man from a far-off country and she had welcomed him to her court where he served as one of her knights for a time.

Her body shook with such a fury that anyone who saw her might think she was sick or weakened by some disease.

"Those Anglo-Saxon bastards! Aldwin has stolen  _everything_  from me, my honor, my noble deeds, my accomplishments, even my  _name_!"

Britannian bastard, indeed, well, she'd make them pay for their many sins soon enough, now that Avalon had healed her wounds.

Arturia sighed; to ally herself with Zero would mean she would be forced to endure  _another_  man who had no qualms about using despicable tactics to obtain victory. She was as unlucky as ever in the partners' fate brought to her.

She could see from his Zero personality what kind of strategist he was, and she didn't like him in that regard one bit.

Still, she laughed, since when did Britannians ever follow the path of chivalry, for all the tenants they cited by rote, they certainly ignored them when it was convenient for them to do so.

What a farce it was, she'd be amused if it weren't so pathetic. They loved to sing the praises of their stolen righteousness. It would be a truly great pleasure to crush them under her heel.

Arturia felt a hand on her shoulder, she felt the gloved hand, and at his touch, her furnace heart unclenched.

"Zero, is there something you need?"

"How did you know it was me?" Zero asked, curious.

"I can recognize you by touch."

"I see."

Lelouch looked at her, "Saber, will you join me?"

"I have not decided, why should I follow a man with Aldwin X's face?"

Lelouch was stunned; he hadn't expected her to mention his distant ancestor.

"I'm not him, why you ever thought of him, I have no idea. Give it some thought; the Black Knights could use someone like you."

He walked away.

"Use, you're just like him, just another royal jackass!" Arturia clenched her fist.

Arturia wanted to believe that, but seeing Lelouch and Nunnally together was a stark reminder, Lelouch was not Aldwin, but she wasn't willing to pledge her sword to a man who treated her like she did not exist.

She sighed; at least she was physically healed now. The only thing left was to decide whether to throw in with the "Black Knights" or not.


	3. That Which is Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lelouch is thrown off by the Eleven mages when they reveal their knowledge of his Geass and Saber's true identity.

**That Which is Secret**

Lelouch sat at his computer; he'd finished his homework and was going to do some research for the Black Knights, but Saber's outburst left a lingering question in his mind, one he just couldn't shake.

 _"Those Anglo-Saxon bastards! They really_ have _stolen everything from me, my honor, my noble deeds, my accomplishments, even my_ name _!"_

 _Anglo-Saxon? What's an Anglo-Saxon?_ He thought. He'd never heard the term before. He's been raised in the royal family so he could recite the names of the Emperors of Britannia. In all the history books he'd read while under the royal tutor he'd never seen the term before, not even in the history books at Ashford Academy.

Lelouch searched for the term Anglo-Saxon online, but to his shock, any search result he tried to click on was blocked by the Britannian government as dissident propaganda. He grinned, so Father had something to hide did he? From the small snippets of the summaries he'd managed to read, any information pertaining to these Anglo-Saxons had to do with the original homeland in Europe.

Most people would have given up due to the government blocking, but Lelouch knew that if he could obtain a proxy using an I.P. address from the Republic of Britain, he could read whatever the Britannians were trying to hide.

Lelouch suddenly glanced at his phone, he didn't have any time to search for I.P. proxies to access the internet in the Republic of Britain, he had to get to school instead. This would have to wait.

* * *

The teacher looked out at the class. "Now open your book, _King Arthur and his Knights_ , and begin reading chapter one about the King of Knight's early reign in Camelot."

Lelouch stood up and read, "In Camelot, there were vast tables, filled with food, water, and supplies for the commoners that the King gave them freely. He would often give them generous gifts when he would go into the city, and the church would ring the bells in celebration when the king would go into the city."

The teacher continued her lesson, telling them more about King Arthurs reign and the Knights of the Round Table. Then classes stopped for lunch break.

Lelouch was reading _King Arthur and his Knights_ as part of his history class.

"It's such a farce, this book as if any Britannian could be so noble and generous. It's all propaganda and well-written fairy tales to appease the masses. Placing tables filled to the brim with food for commoners. The king giving the poor generous gifts, ha! As if the royal family would ever dream of doing something so selfless, the over-privileged parasites!"

"Tread carefully young prince, to disparage the royal family can be punished severely if they catch you saying such things," a voice spoke to him.

Lelouch was startled, who was it that called him a prince? It certainly wasn't Milly Ashford, there were only two people that knew he was royalty, and Suzaku Kururugi wasn't here either.

Lelouch reached for his gun he hid under his uniform, no one could know his secret, this person, whoever he was, would take his secret to his grave.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"I am Myrddin, well, that is my name in a long-forgotten tongue, but my common name is not for you to know at this time," Merlin laughed.

"Show me your face, you have nothing to hide," Lelouch raised his hands in a placating gesture. If the man removed the hood hiding his face, he could use his Geass on him to make him forget he knew anything about him.

"I don't fall for parlor tricks young man, especially not yours," Merlin laughed. "Your secrets are safe with me, as _she_ is with you."

"Saber, you know Saber?" he asked. He wanted to learn her true identity.

"She was my student for many years, you must take care of her, she is very important, but not to you, the Britannians have meddled in things they are ignorant of, and in doing so, have upset the balance of the entire world."

"Tell me about it!" Lelouch scowled.

"Oh, you are hardly prepared for that, but keep an eye on her, that is all you need to know for now," Merlin told him.

"Watch over my greatest creation would you, lad?" he laughed, he walked off, Lelouch stared as he turned a corner and as Lelouch tried to follow him, he was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

 _"Aldwin, you're_ far _too enthusiastic about what you're doing," Arturia felt her breath catch in her throat._

_His violet eyes glanced down at her, filled with lust, he could not help himself, he always wanted her._

_His hands explored her body, fondling and caressing her skin. His kiss made her feel dizzy and his hands slipped under her clothing._

_As childhood friends, they had always been close, but when he'd grown older and knew more about his urges, he had often coaxed her for intimacy that she gave him, but he was never able to have her completely._

_Arturia let a sigh escape her lips. He did make her tremble with needs, needs that she could not bring herself to sate._

_He could never tell if she loved him or not, she was inscrutable to him._

_"Let me have you, I adore you, my little Bear-King," he growled in her ear, kissing her lips, she did not push him away._

_"You shouldn't do that, we'll be seen, and we're not married, Merlin's magic has made me appear to be a man if they should see us…" Arturia murmured._

_"What of it? Can the Church burn their King at the stake?" Aldwin smirked._

_"There are other countries where everyone knows of their rulers' preferred taste, and it does not matter," he chuckled._

_"But what of your family?" she glanced at him._

_"I will be married, but not for a long time, it matters not to me," Aldwin growled._

_"I could give you more than what I have, if you would let me, I could make you happy."_

_"My own happiness does not matter, I have my duty."_

_Her eyes met his. Arturia pushed him away._

_"The Sword should have chosen me, I am a man worthy of it, then I would marry you and be the happiest man in the world."_

_"It did not, you were not worthy, I was, I am still King of Britannia. I am here to serve the people of this country."_

_"Serve the idiot masses?_ They _should serve_ you _, you are king, you've no need to serve them, you are one who must be served_ by _them, you are superior!"_

_He took her hand._

_"Marry me, I am descended from Aldwin I, you are Uther's daughter, you deserved to be raised in luxury instead of pretending to be the son of some nobody knight, Sir Ector."_

_"I did not know Uther Pendragon, Sir Ector is my father, and you insult us both, this is the reason that I cannot marry you, even if my gender was not an issue, we will never see eye to eye."_

_"I chose to remove the sword from the stone, Caliburn is mine and I am King, and as King, I cannot live as a person, not even for you."_

_"And yet you clearly want me, you refuse to admit it. You are such a contradiction. You're such a liar."_

_She placed her hand on his shoulder._

_"I am a king, not a saint, Aldwin, this is the last time I will see you, Guinevere will arrive at Camelot in two weeks, I will be getting married."_

_The wind blew his black hair and his violet eyes became sullen._

_"The marriage is a farce and you cannot consummate it, let me at least be your proxy and give you a son!"_

_"No, you bear no resemblance to me, it would never work, Merlin says he'll come up with something."_

_"Ever that meddling idiot seeks to help, if he wanted to help, he should have made you a man in the first place!" Aldwin clenched his fist._

_"I was created for one purpose, to be King of Britannia, my gender does not matter."_

_"To us, but to everyone else, yes!" Aldwin X waved his arms expressively. He pointed his finger at her, to emphasize his point._

_"A being as superior as yourself should be proud of her heritage, you are far better than any of the common rabble, who cares if you're a woman? There is no need to hide it, You were chosen as king, you should grind the trash under your heel as they deserve! Men should worship you as a goddess, as I do!"_

_"You are too naive, no petty king of Britannia would ever swear fealty to a woman if my gender were known. Men of this era are not accepting of such things."_

_"You will accept my service, won't you?" he asked, kissing her hand._

_"Of course, Aldwin Vi Britannia, I accept your service," she got to her feet, pulling up her trousers._

_He remained kneeling, "Perhaps the King of Knights will accept my lip service as well."_

_"Never did I see a man who had the horn more than you," Arturia sighed._

_"I cannot help it, you've turned me into a lovesick wanton," he stood to his feet, leaning close._

_"You're a loony, that's what you are, now we must go, and not together." She gently pushed him away._

_"As you wish Highness, as you wish."_

_Arturia smiled at him, "May there be everlasting friendship between our houses."_

_"Yes, Arthur, let it be so."_

* * *

Arturia Pendragon's eyes opened slowly. That dream of that long-forgotten time and that man left her feeling disturbed. Perhaps it was because Aldwin X, the man she had cared for had stolen her entire legacy and appointed himself as her successor.

After she'd been married, he had tried desperately to distinguish himself in her service, but he was far too brash and lacked the brilliance of a strategist and the charisma of a leader to gain a great reputation. His skills were abysmal.

But it was an incident when he'd beaten one of her guests that caused him to be banished from the country, he'd never forgiven her for that, and he continued to raise armies against her, which she continually crushed.

Now to see a man, with his face and figure again in this era made her feel uneasy. But at least he wasn't trying to get his sword inside her sheath, as the medieval innuendo put it.

His personality and talents most certainly surpassed Aldwin X. Still, Lelouch Lamperouge was most certainly of that bloodline, she was not mistaken. But why were two royal siblings in hiding?

She would have to find the truth for herself.

Arturia Pendragon sighed, she rarely had dreams, but the last thing she wanted to dream about was her semi-intimate relationship with that jackass Aldwin Vi Britannia also known as Aldwin X. They had been childhood friends, but he wanted a lover, and she couldn't give him what he wanted, but she did enjoy his company, it was because of him that she knew "how to make a man happy".

She had never consummated the relationship completely, physical touch in intimate places was as far as it went, and he'd never forgiven her for that or being banished from Britain for his actions at court.

Arturia gazed on the young man "Lelouch Lamperouge", a young man who had Aldwin's face and body, but not his personality.

She shook her head. She was not trading one Britannian jackass for another, those bearing the surname Britannia brought her nothing but grief.

But then she remembered how his touch made her feel.

She'd made up her mind, she wouldn't tell him a thing, this dream was none of his business. He wouldn't understand, he was just another member of the "royal family", just another arrogant jackass.

She saw him typing away at the computer; she managed to catch a glimpse of what he was writing about.

 _By my faith,_ she groaned inwardly, _it's about me. What will he do to mock me this time?_

"This school report of yours, why write about King Arthur's idealism?" Saber asked him.

"Because it's an angle none of the other students will take. They will completely focus on the King's military exploits. Besides, it'll make me stand out in class and I am a top student here at Ashford Academy."

"And what do you believe about King Arthur's ideals?" she glanced at him.

"I don't know, but I don't think anyone could be so selfless, it doesn't seem like the King is even human."

"As a King, he could not expect to live as a person," Saber replied, putting her hand on his shoulder. "For the country's prosperity, a king must be willing to make any sacrifice. Kings are martyrs to their ideals."

Lelouch burst out laughing. Her words were unexpected and startled him. His laughter was not mockery, but amusement. No ruler in the history of Britannia had ever ruled in such a manner, not even King Arthur, all the stories were extremely exaggerated.

"Why is that humorous to you?" she asked in a stern tone that would have frightened anyone else.

"It's just amusing, no member of the Britannian royal family is that selfless, such stories of the King of Knights are exaggerated."

She decided to be done with this conversation, "Will you lend me a little money so I can go gambling?"

"Really? Is that what you want?" Lelouch asked, surprised.

"I have a lot on my mind, I need a distraction, and do not fret, I have excellent luck."

Lelouch tossed her a bag of cash, "How like a noble to be easily bored."

"What makes you think I am a noble?" Saber asked him.

"I know aristocrats far too well; I know that you are one. I despise them."

"And yet you have generously permitted me to stay in this house," she countered him.

"Most nobles are tepid, you are not, and I find you intriguing. I hope to persuade you to join the Black Knights and I can't have the government catching you again."

Saber took the money and left the house.

The students of Ashford Academy had left for the day and the grounds were empty. Saber took her time to explore the grounds, stopping in front of the school fountain.

Arturia glanced up as the fountain water rippled and a figure emerged from it.

"Lady Vivien," Arturia bowed.

"Arturia, you are in need of your sword, Excalibur that you cast away."

"I understand, but the Lady of the Lake is not nearly as splendid emerging from a school fountain as a lake."

"I could bear it no more, tourists show up to take pictures and constantly say "Oh, but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you."

The fairy was exasperated. She waved her arms.

"Oh, it gets better! There's also, "Oh but if I went 'round sayin' I was Emperor, just because some moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away." I had to leave, out of pure annoyance, this is still Britannia, so I have been searching for you."

"I am truly glad to see you," Arturia bowed to her.

"Take up your sword and fight once again," the Lady of the Lake gave the Holy Sword Excalibur to her. The King of Knights took her sword back and brandished it with a flourish.

"I thank you, Lady Vivien, I will do what I must, for the sake of the world," Saber smiled at her. She turned and left the school, she would first take the money from the cruel nobles, so that she might use it for better things.

* * *

Lelouch Vi Britannia found himself in another dream. Unlike the previous dream, he stood at the bottom of a high mountain; There was a man standing beside him.

Before him stood a handsome man with blonde hair and green eyes. He wore fine armor and a blue tunic, at his side was a beautiful golden sword.

Lelouch was stunned, _is this the King of Knights? Why would I think of him? I've had history class on my mind far too much, this dream is ridiculous!_

_"Come with me, descendant of Aldwin X," the King told him._

_Lelouch followed the man up the mountain, once they reached the summit, he gasped before him lay the entirety of the Empire of Britannia!_

_The King stood in front of him, although Lelouch was not able to see his face._

_The King spoke:_

_"Child of earth, what wouldst thou have to make thee adore me?"_

_He looked at the king, "I would have your sword and your service!"_

_Lelouch was puzzled, the King's voice changed, it was a mixture of both male and female, he did not understand. Even his appearance seemed to change. The tunic blew in the wind and it seemed to billow like a dress._

Impossible _!_ _Lelouch saw the King turned toward him; he could almost see the king's face._

Then he woke up.

Lelouch blinked and stood up, he glanced at the clock. It was late, and he had a meeting with The Black Knights. He put the mask over his face and went out to where Diethard and the others were waiting for him.

They glanced up as the door opened and Saber strode into the room, bowing before Zero and sitting down.

Kallen Stadtfeld watched "Elise Watoson" with interest. She was waiting until she could speak out of earshot of the other members of the Black Knights. She found her opportunity when Arturia moved away from the others.

"There's business to take care of, the Japanese Liberation Front is holed up in the Narita Mountains. We'll have to crush the Britannians, free the Japanese Liberation Front, and capture Princess Cornelia."

"I see," Saber observed.

"Why are you here?" Tamaki scowled, "You haven't even agreed to join us yet!"

"She is here because she is still important to us," Zero scolded him. "She is a fugitive from the Empire. That is enough for me, she will join us in time, I only hope to persuade her regarding our intentions."

"Still, she could be a liability to the group, considering how dangerous she is, the Empire has wanted posters of her everywhere!" Kaname Ohgi added.

"And the Britannian Empire doesn't consider me a threat? She's my responsibility, that's not something you'll have to worry about."

The others began to talk as Kallen approached her.

"There's something I'd like to ask you," Kallen glanced at her.

"What is it, Kallen?" Arturia replied, wondering what the teenager would want from her.

"Is there any way that you could take me back to Fuyuki?"

"Why do you want to go back there?" Arturia was wary; she distrusted Britannians, what was this teenage girl's interest in the city?

"Because I'm Japanese, although technically, I'm half-Britannian," she admitted, gripping her shoulders.

"I remember what it was like before the war, all I want is to experience that again, even if it's just for a few hours!"

"I will see what I can do, I make no promises," Saber took her hand; "I know that it must be hard for you, living like a conquered subject. I will speak to the Second Owner on your behalf."

Suddenly, the door opened and Rin Tohsaka and Shirou Emiya appeared before them.

"The Eleven Mages!" Ohgi gasped.

"We're here to speak to Zero," Shirou spoke to them.

"What about the rest of us?" Tamaki asked.

"Not any of you, just Zero, his green-haired friend, and Saber."

They headed to a back room; he closed and locked the door.

Rin spoke words Lelouch did not understand and something sealed them inside the room.

"I've put up a bounded field, now no one can hear us," Rin glanced at Shirou.

"What do you want from our friend?" Rin asked him sternly.

"I want her to fight for me," Zero told them simply.

"Then why not make her fight, with your Geass?" Rin smirked.

Lelouch was stunned, _How does she know, they claimed they could use magic, but there's no way she could have figured it out on her own!_

"You used it on live television, I saw the slot for your eye open, and then the Britannians suddenly release Suzaku Kururgi, Mages can spot the power of Geass, it's one of the many things we study at the Clocktower."

Rin's hand moved, "Don't even think about trying to give me an order, between Shirou and I, you'll lose that eye of yours!"

"You possess a Geass, hmm, that is interesting," Saber frowned, "I cannot be controlled by Geass. I am immune to magic."

"We want to know what you're going to do Saber, you're not a Heroic Spirit anymore, you can live your life however you want," Shirou told her.

"A Heroic Spirit?" Lelouch asked; he'd never heard the term before, then again, they were throwing around a lot of terms he'd never heard before.

"A famous hero from history that we mages can summon into the modern era to fight for us in a ritual that has long since been dismantled," Rin glanced at him. "It's not the business of an ordinary human to know these things, but you're not a normal human either."

"Then why confront me?" Zero asked.

"We only ask out of concern for our friend, that is all," Shirou told him. "You will indulge us, Your Highness Lelouch Vi Britannia by reading this contract we have brought you."

"You claim that is my name, but where is your proof?"

"Shall we drag you before the Emperor?" Rin asked. She saw him visibly flinch.

"You know my name and my identity? How is that?!" he demanded.

"We Mages can learn things ordinary humans cannot, or did you not think that we would just leave her the greatest King who ever lived with a Britannian dog!" Shirou snarled at him.

"She will be fine, I'll give you my word," Zero told them.

"Are you willing to bind your soul for it?" Rin asked, holding up a scroll, "It's just as you think it is, a Self-Geass scroll. A Self-Geass Scroll is a powerful magical item used throughout the ages to forge an unbreakable pact between one mage and another. Read it for yourself, it will bind you Lelouch Vi Britannia to her. It will bind your soul, even in death!"

"I'm nothing like them, don't lump me in with the rest of the Royal family!" Lelouch countered, pointing his gun at Shirou who stood fearlessly glaring at him.

"Calm down sirs, please!" Saber ordered the white-haired mage. He stepped back and sat down.

Rin tossed him the scroll, Lelouch began to read it:

" _Binding Spell…Affected Party: Lelouch Vi Britannia. The Crest of the Britannia family orders the following actions. The pledge is to be obeyed by the affected party upon the fulfillment of the terms described herein. Pledge: That Lelouch Vi Britannia Seventeenth heir to the house of Britannia, will be forever forbidden from harming Arturia Pendragon… Or from intending to, by his hand harm, injure, or compel with the power of Geass, force her servitude in any way whatsoever._

"The name in this scroll, is this her true name?" Lelouch asked, he refused to believe it, no _wonder_ his father wanted her, if she was truly the legendary King of Knights she would be a strong asset to the Empire!

Still, he wanted to laugh, how could the King of Knights be some humble little girl? She was far different from anything he had been reading about in his history books.

He did snicker, she heard him. "How like a Britannian to honor me with his lips yet his heart is far from me!"

She gestured to them and then pointed back at Lelouch, "You mean well, but he is no better than his ancestor, Aldwin X or his father, Charles Zi Britannia!"

Her words pushed him over the edge, he was incensed to anger "I'll sign it!" he snapped.

"What?" Rin asked.

Lelouch spat out every word with hatred, "I'll sign it, to prove to you I am _nothing_ like that man!"

He signed it and handed it back to her.

"Will that satisfy you, King of Knights?" his voice held a hint of sarcasm.

"Yes indeed," she glanced at C.C., "What is this?"

Arturia looked at her as C.C. bowed low before her.

"Your Highness, you might not remember me, after all it has been 1500 years but you saved my life a long time ago when I was but a starving child."

Lelouch was stunned, "You both know each other?"

"I am pleasantly surprised to see you in this era," Arturia smiled, then she spoke C.C.'s name, her real name, Lelouch was definitely stunned.

C.C. began to cry, "Your Highness, forgive me, to hear my name spoken with such warmth and affection makes me happy like I could be a human being again."

"I am glad, all my life; I have never saved anyone, except for your life," Saber smiled, "My legacy was not completely stolen from me by Aldwin X."

Lelouch gazed at them, wondering what he was supposed to do.

"I leave you alone to think about what we have told you," Saber told him. The two mages and the "King" left the room.

Zero turned to C.C., "C.C., can you confirm that she is Arthur, the King of Knights?"

"Yes, even though the King Arthur I saw was a man, I know she is the one who saved my life. Her eyes, those are the same eyes that looked down at me with kindness and compassion long ago. She has not changed, and she is the same person I knew then."

C.C. turned to him, "What are you going to do now, Lelouch, seduce her and win her heart so that she will fight for you?"

"You've got to be kidding me?" Lelouch balked at the idea, he protested with emphatic gestures.

"Maybe that is a bad idea," C.C. smirked, "one kiss from her and you'd fall to pieces."

"What?!" Lelouch was stunned.

"She's a beautiful woman and I can tell she does have feelings for you."

"I can't deal with this right now!" Lelouch waved his arms.

They left the room as he sighed. He'd have to figure out what his next move would be.

Saber left Zero and approached Diethard Reid.

"Mister Diethard Reid, I want you and the Black Knights to take me somewhere," Saber looked at the news reporter.

"Where do you want to go? Diethard Reid asked.

"The Shinjuku Ghetto," Saber told him, "Please take me there."


	4. Discussing The King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arturia confronts Lelouch about his treatment of her.

Lelouch mulled over the contract he had signed with Saber, to bind his soul with a Geass, how interesting. Had they done it because the Emperor had tortured her?

" _Binding Spell…Affected Party: Lelouch Vi Britannia. The Crest of the Britannia family orders the following actions. The pledge is to be obeyed by the affected party upon the fulfillment of the terms described herein. Pledge: That Lelouch Vi Britannia Seventeenth heir to the house of Britannia, will be forever forbidden from harming Arturia Pendragon… Or from intending to, by his hand harm, injure, or compel with the power of Geass, force her servitude in any way whatsoever._

What was this magic crest that the contract spoke of? He'd never heard of real magic. Geass was the closest thing he knew to magic.

He had made a contract with her, that he could not compel her with his Geass, or harm her physically. Although she claimed that she was immune to Geass, but he had never seen anyone successfully resist his Geass.

Winning her loyalty was the only path he could take now.

Lelouch Vi Britannia was lost in thought. How had the Mages discovered his identity? He never mentioned his real name outside his house, and he certainly hadn't discovered any hidden cameras around the house, and yet they knew who he was.

He had noticed some very strange birds perched on trees outside the house, but by the time he made his way outside to investigate the mysterious things had up and vanished.

_Someone told them about me, I have to find out who it is, wait, Lord El Melloi said he learned about Saber from a man named Myrddin, no—Merlin, he knew who I was, but I've never even talked to him before today, he's a powerful sorcerer isn't he? I don't like being left in the dark about these things! What does he want from me?_

Lelouch looked up in surprise as The Black Knights began to set up a large table. They began to fill it with food, blankets clothing, and medical supplies.

"Where did we get the money for all this?" he turned to Shinichirō Tamaki .

"I won it in a wager against a nobleman," Arturia told him. She continued to unload the supplies she had brought with her.

After she had set out all her supplies, people began to approach her.

Lelouch glanced over as the poverty-stricken residents of the Shinjuku Ghetto gathered around the table Saber had set up. It was piled high with food, water, clothing, blankets and medical supplies.

The Black Knights were stunned. They hadn't expected this from a Britannian, she wasn't selling any of it for a profit she was giving it away!

Lelouch realized where she had gotten the money to buy these things; she had used the winnings from her gambling after paying him back the money he had lent her for the initial wager.

But something sprang to Lelouch's mind, a passage from his history book:

_In Camelot there were vast tables, filled with food, water and supplies for the commoners that the King gave them freely. He would often give them generous gifts when he would go into the city, and the church would ring the bells in celebration when the king would go into the city._

Lelouch was startled, this had to be for show, and everything any Britannian royal did in public was for show.

The poor gathered around her like moths to a flame.

"This would be a perfect propaganda piece if she were actually a member of the Black Knights," Diethard observed.

"This isn't propaganda…this is how she truly is," Lelouch admitted to himself as much as Diethard. "I thought this was a show as well, but she is sincere."

"All the better, we could use a bleeding heart. Her pretty face doesn't hurt either," the newsman noted.

"Don't let her catch you saying that," Lelouch continued to watch her, planning his next move.

The two sides of her were at war, the idealist and the pragmatist, her idealism seem to suppress the anger and rage he'd seen from her, but the hatred and rage were what he desired from her most.

It was always there, simmering under the surface of her polite veneer, but it was there nonetheless.

Shirou had Rin had said she was not a "Heroic Spirit" anymore. When he had inquired about what they meant, Rin had explained that she was not summoned here via their magic, but had returned to them as a human being.

Lelouch knew that such things were outside his knowledge, but he had confirmed that Saber was the highly praised King of Knights.

She was going to be a challenge, and Lelouch did enjoy a challenge. She would fight for his cause, he only had to find a suitable way of winning her approval that would satisfy the righteousness that had made her so famous.

He watched as the residents of the Shinjuku Ghetto took everything she had offered them. Then she took the table down and had the others load it into the fan. Her business was done here.

* * *

Later that day, Arturia Pendragon gazed out the window, watching the Equistrian Club ride the horses on school grounds. She noticed they had set up rings and were joust tilting just like she had in her childhood. She smiled in amusement. They weren't particularly good, then again, she hadn't been spectacular at their age either.

It brought back an old memory to her mind.

_"Go on Aldwin, it's your turn to tilt!" Arturia called to him._

_"Let me show you how this is_ really _done," Aldwin X laughed. He mounted the horse and charged forward, he missed the ring completely and was knocked off the horse as the pole smashed into the back of his head._

_"Well, that was something!" Arturia laughed. "Are you all right?"_

_She moved to help him._

_"I'm fine! I'm fine!" Aldwin scowled. He climbed to his feet._

_"Wart, your eye, what happened?" he asked, noting the eye was black._

_"Not anything you have to worry about," Arturia gave him a smile._

_"Got into another fight with Kay, eh?" the noblemen laughed._

_"I always win our fights!" Kay smiled triumphantly._

_Now Arturia scowled at him._

_The two boys laughed. The trio looked up and saw the nurse calling them to supper; Aldwin IX had arrived on business, and was staying with them for several days._

_The food was served and the feasting began, Aldwin sat beside Arturia, who was holding her dog Cavall for reasons unknown to him._

_Old man Ralph started singing that song of his again, the one about Wold King Cole:_

_Whe-an_  
_Wold King-Cole_  
_was a_  
wakkin _doon-t'street,_

_H-e saw a-lovely laid-y a  
steppin-in-a-puddle._

_She-a_  
_lifted hup-er-_ skeat  
_For to_  
_Hop_ acrorst ter _middle,_  
_An ee saw her an-_ kel _. Wasn't that a fuddle?_  
_Ee_ could'ernt elp _it, ee Ad to._

_Old man Ralph sang all 20 verses where Wold King Cole saw way more than up her skirt. The men laughed after every verse finished._

_After they had ate and drank and made merry, the young noblemen smiled as he led her to a darker part of the room._

_Aldwin X was considered a man now. He had turned 16. He leaned over and kissed her._

_"Why?" she asked him quietly._

_"Because I love you, and I want you to be with me," Aldwin whispered earnestly._

_"Aldwin, I…" Arturia whispered._

_"It's all right," he replied, touching her cheek, "It's all right."_

_He kissed her again, letting his hand slip under her skirt._

_"This is fine, isn't it?" he nuzzled her neck._

_"Yes," she hissed, trying to stay quiet. She enjoyed this but only with him, because he said he loved her. This is what lovers did together, wasn't it?_

_She'd never been shown this sort of attention by other men, so she couldn't help but be flattered by his charming words and handsome face._

_As they deepened the kiss, she pulled him close and knew that this was all she needed right now. The tournament was in London tomorrow, the Sword in the Stone and the path she chose would be waiting. But they could wait, that was tomorrow._

Arturia Pendragon came out of her reverie. She left the window and walked back to the guest room where she was staying.

Arturia knelt down beside the bed, and began to pray.

"Oh Lord, I am weak. I am a lowly sinner and I beg Your heavenly mercy, my salvation can only be through the glory of Your grace. Hear my prayer and grant me the strength to fight the sins You have revealed to me, to do good in this world as You have commanded me, to overcome the obstacles You have placed in my path, and to endure the torments that in You in Your almighty wisdom, have bestowed upon me."

Lelouch had stopped at the door to listen to her pray, he was rather irreligious. He was not a fanatical Atheist like his father, or a practicing Christian like Shirley Fenette, but he felt that if there is a God, He was on a permanent vacation when it came to his life, or He had left his life in the hands of Murphy's Law, leaving him with an unending stream of unhappy events in his life.

Arturia's practice of Christianity was ancient, featuring prayers and ceremonies he'd only read in passing in the history books. The only place Catholicism was practiced was the country of Spain, and it was rare, he was unsure if they even had a Pope.

_How many times has she prayed for deliverance? How often has she begged her God to rescue her? How long was she a prisoner?_

Lelouch touched her shoulder. "Am I interrupting you?"

"No, not at all, I have finished," she got to her feet and stood before him. She was looking out the window.

"How long were you a prisoner?" Lelouch asked.

"Several months," she replied, giving him a sidelong glance.

"I see," he put his hand on her shoulder.

Arturia turned to face him.

Lelouch gazed at Arturia Pendragon as she held his stare; she did not waver. She began to speak to him.

"You want my service as your sword, isn't that right, Your Highness?" Arturia bowed before him.

"Are you mocking me, King of Knights?" Lelouch asked her, he disliked the tone of her voice.

"Mockery, whose mocking, you have always been sarcastic to me, if there is any mockery here _you're_ the one doing the mocking," Arturia smirked; she began to circle him, like a predator stalking its prey.

"I should counter that by saying I've been nothing but courteous to you, opening up my home and feeding and sheltering you here."

"And yet you mocked my noble and good deeds, you claimed that I did not exist before my friends revealed me to you."

"I have my doubts that someone like you could be a perfect king," Lelouch crossed his arms.

"It is a trait of your family to speak carelessly," Arturia scowled, "1,500 years and still the house of Britannia speaks such foolishness."

"What miserable drones and traitors have I nourished and brought up in my household, who let their lord be treated with such shameful contempt by a low-born cleric?" Arturia laughed at Lelouch.

The Prince was confused by her words. She stopped and gazed at him.

"What, have they not regaled Your Royal Highness with the tale of your ancestor Henry II, who unintentionally ordered the death of a man he once called his friend when Thomas Becket chose to serve God rather than the King?"

Arturia gestured to him, "Or shall I regale you with tales of your ancestor, Aldwin X, a man who constantly stole the valor and reputation of others. He was a man driven by his selfish desires and ambition. Aldwin knew my secret, and he was obsessed with me. He wanted something I could never give him."

"I'm not ignorant, I can see quite plainly why he wanted you, not only are you beautiful, but you carry the blood of the kings of Britannia in your veins, it would cement his true claim to the throne."

 _How close was she to Aldwin X?_ _She does seem attached to him._ _She associates me with him because I bear a resemblance to him. I will not be haunted by a ghost._

Lelouch put his hand on her shoulder, leaned in and spoke in her ear in a low voice, "I am not my ancestor, my adorable King of Knights. If it weren't for me, you would still be locked away in a cell."

"As if I would forget what you have done for me," Arturia smiled slightly, placing her hands on his chest, pushing him away from her at arm's length. Arturia blushed, shook her head and looked down at her feet, "Do not mock me by calling me adorable. Your adoration is for your sister."

 _She does react when I touch her, but why?_ _It's not like she's throwing herself at me._ _She does look at me with that gaze of hers._ _If she wants to sleep with me, wouldn't she say so?_ _But she is a woman, would that mean her marriage to Guinevere was fake?_

_Women are always ridiculous. Milly says half the girls at school want to jump me, she loves blurting it out loud in front of Shirley and Rivalz, but Saber's not like any of the girls at school, she's probably the sort who indulged herself with troubadours songs of courtly love and medieval romance, heh._

He sighed; _This isn't helping me at all._ _I don't know what she wants from me._

"Nunnally is my reason for living," he replied.

He raised her chin and met her eyes. Arturia flinched.

"Is something wrong?" Lelouch noted her reaction.

"How like your father you are, forcing me to look at you."

Lelouch flinched, he was disturbed by the comparison.

"I am _not_ my father."

"What do you want from me?" Lelouch asked, stroking her cheek, recalling how the gestured had soothed her when he had discovered her chained inside her cell.

She relaxed and met his gaze again. The tension between them had eased.

"I cannot help but be grateful to you for rescuing me," Arturia gazed at him. She leaned in close. "I will show you my gratitude."

Arturia leaned over and gave him a chaste kiss.

Lelouch watched her leave his room. He sighed, she was ridiculously complicated. He had made it quite clear what he wanted from her. He wanted her skills as a leader and tactician. He desired the sheer jaw-dropping luck she possessed, he had seen the results of her unnatural good luck, how else had she returned his money and had more than enough cash to buy food, water, clothing and medical supplies to give to the people in the Shinjuku Ghetto.

Luck like hers was invaluable on the battlefield because luck was not something he could quantify. To have her at his side would assure victory for him and the Black Knights.

Lelouch clenched his fist in frustration; this verbal sparring match had changed nothing between them. What could he possibly do to gain her trust?

Seduction was impossible, out of the question, it has nothing to do with morality, he preferred to keep people at arm's length, it was safer that way.

He stared at the place where Arturia had been. She was beautiful; indulging these thoughts was a distraction he couldn't afford.

The Britannian Prince shook his head.

 _As a King, he could not expect to live as a person_ , Lelouch remembered her words. It troubled him, how was he to deal with this?

Still, he had noticed her odd behavior and the way she gazed at him with sidelong glances.

Lelouch pulled out his phone and searched for Courtly Love and its stages.

He read the other stages, no, no, she was not going to do any of this to him, especially not the moaning and sighing like you were going to die part. And he _certainly_ wasn't either! If he had to moan and sigh like he was going to die of want, he would take his gun and shoot himself in the head before he did _anything_ like that!

The only thing she'd ever done were sidelong glances, she certainly hadn't pledged herself to him or confessed her feelings for him.

It would be something he would keep in mind, but he did note the kiss she gave him was anything but romantic.

The kiss itself was hardly sexual or arousing, but it hadn't been an unpleasant experience either.

He would have to plan his next move. He would have her sword in his service. Lelouch would find the path that would secure her loyalty to him.

Lelouch Vi Britannia smiled, he would have her loyalty, it would only be a matter of time. He would have to convince her of the Black Knights' justice soon enough. His victory at Narita that would take place very soon would ensure her allegiance to him.

* * *

Charles Zi Britannia sat on his throne in the capital city of Pendragon. A man came and bowed before him.

"Your Imperial Majesty, we have been unable to locate the King of Knights, and there is another matter of the so-called relics that were transported to Area 11. The Holy Sword Excalibur has gone missing."

"What?!" the Emperor asked.

"The transport that was carrying it crashed into the ocean, the men drowned and the sword disappeared."

"What of the other relics?" Charles asked. He cared little for the legend; it would bring him great profit to the royal treasury to open a Britannian history museum.

The curator of the museum bowed before him.

"The King's shield has also gone missing along with King Arthur's flag."

"It can't be helped. Send in Sir Luciano Bradley," the Emperor ordered.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the man bowed and left.

Luciano Bradley bowed before the Emperor. The Knight of Ten awaited his orders.

"Go bring back Arturia Pendragon, the King of Knights to me, do whatever you wish to her, but bring her back alive and in one piece."

"Of course, Your Imperial Majesty," Luciano Bradley unleashed a terrifying grin. The psychotic Knight of the Round replied, he was looking forward to this mission, he had been restrained when he was her torturer, but now he could do whatever he wished to her, and he was going to enjoy it.


	5. Aldwin's Memoirs and Arturia's Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lelouch asks Saber about her life as King and she pledges her loyalty to him.

Arturia Pendragon was deep in thought. Lelouch Vi Britannia, he was a complicated person, that was clear to her.

Her oath to him was important to her, but to pledge her sword to him was another matter. He had many good traits. He was kind, caring and loved his sister very much, but he had another face one that was cold, calculating and cunning. He was a man who would stop at nothing to achieve victory, that was obvious.

Saber had borrowed a bow and arrow from the Archery Club, asking Lelouch to convince someone in the club to let him borrow it. He had fibbed saying he was slightly interested in archery.

She notched the bow and let the arrow fly at the target.

It hit within the bull's eye ring and she turned her head towards the sound of clapping.

"Is that so impressive, Your Highness?" Saber asked.

"The stories in this book make no mention of your skills as an archer," Lelouch held up the textbook.

"Really? I practiced archery in my childhood," Saber notched another arrow.

"The King was conceived because King Uther and Queen Igraine could not have children. After the King's death at the hands of assassins, you were raised by Aldwin IX, given the best education in Britannia and was the only one who could remove the Sword of Choosing."

"My life is such a fairy tale! No wonder you did not believe that I exist. I was conceived by Uther and Igraine, but they were not married. My father was old and had not had children for many years. He fell in love with Igraine who was the wife of Goloris, one of my father's knights. He begged Merlin to use magic to let him take his appearance so that he could have one night with her."

"Merlin told him, "What issues forth from your lust shall be mine, but the child we shall create shall be the king of Britain. He shall be the essence of the dragon in human form."

Saber continued, "After that night and after her husband's death, Merlin arranged the marriage for my father and mother so that I might be seen as their legitimate child, since I was conceived after Goloris died."

"Still, they say nothing of my foster father, Sir Ector or my foster brother, Sir kay. A pity. It is sad that Britannians only use me as a prop to praise themselves."

"I was raised as the son of a knight, Sir Ector, along with my brother Kay. Merlin was my teacher and taught me many things. It was only after that did I pull the Sword of Choosing from the Stone."

"Tell me about the kings of that time; what you say is far more interesting than anything I've read here."

"Yes, yes, they downplay my accomplishments to hold Aldwin X in high esteem."

Arturia put the bow down; she sat beneath the tree as Lelouch joined her.

"The Roman Empire had never set foot in Britannia, but the Saxons constantly invaded, trying to take more land for themselves. The Kings of Britannia had fallen into decay. The old wisdom the old gods had borne in the old days were forsaken. Christianity had started to spread. Kings made tombs more splendid than the houses of the living and counted the names of their descent dearer than the names of their sons. Childless lords sat in aged halls, musing on heraldry, or in high, cold towers, asking questions of the stars. And so the people of Britannia fell into ruin. The line of kings failed. The rule of Britannia was given over to lesser men."

Lelouch found himself enthralled by her words, the stories she told felt more real than any story he had read as a child or any of the dry text he'd read at school. She was both beautiful and eloquent. Her charisma had a profound effect on him. He could see why an entire country would follow her.

_I can't help but be enthralled by her. I can see why my ancestor Aldwin was obsessed with her._

Saber glanced at him, "I was born in a harsh world in a harsh time. My 10-year rule was a great time of peace for all who lived there."

"Ten years?! You only ruled for ten years?!"

"More like 20. Quiet lad, we are out in the open and you are doing the shouting. I was at war for several years before peace finally came to my homeland."

_To cement herself in history with such a short rule, considering how much the Britannians embellish history, she must have been far more competent a ruler than any Britannian, still. The glory of Camelot is long gone. The city with streets paved in gold, a splendid palace made of white marble. And of course, King Arthur._

Lelouch gazed at her. The living, breathing King of Knights in the flesh. He was still somewhat skeptical, but her imprisonment meant that she was dangerous to the Britannian government and that they didn't mention her on the news meant that they did want to keep her a secret.

"Saber." Lelouch glanced at her.

"What is it, Lelouch?" she asked him.

"You're different than what the stories say you are."

"Indeed, you said it yourself, "the legends of King Arthur are highly exaggerated."

"I'm not nearly so praise-worthy as the legends make me out to be," Saber told him, he could hear the bitterness in her voice.

"Your rule has been cemented in our history books. I have to read about you after all."

"Indeed, my rule has been seen by history as a success, but all I see is failure. Everything I sacrificed was all for nothing."

"You're far more competent than any Britannian ruler. The royal family is constantly plotting and scheming against each other. Britannia has rarely had peace. They are constantly expanding and conquering other countries. To have ten years of peace is a miracle."

"But what can you do in this era, I do believe the truth of your identity, but I don't see what you can possibly do without resources. You don't have one penny, shilling or pound to your name."

"I have resources you cannot even imagine. I will reveal them to you in time."

"Oh, I almost forgot, I have to go give something to Milly, I'll be back in a minute," Lelouch told her. He watched Arturia return to practicing archery.

Milly was busy reading a book when Lelouch entered the room. He was delivering papers for the upcoming Cat Festival.

"Eh, what are you reading?" Lelouch asked.

"Oh, uh, nothing, nothing important," Milly tried to hide the book.

"Come on, Prez, I can keep a secret. Now what is it?" Lelouch used the teasing tone when he was around civilians.

Milly smiled and held up the book.

Lelouch looked at the book's title, " _The Love Letters of Aldwin X: The True and Uncensored Version_ ".

He frowned, "Doesn't the government say this is nothing but a salacious lie? Isn't this contraband?"

"Don't tell anyone, 'kay?" Milly warned.

"How did you even manage to get this?" Lelouch raised an eyebrow.

"That's my secret, Lelouch," Milly retorted with a mischievous grin.

"Sure, my lips are sealed, say can I borrow that?" Lelouch asked.

"You're such a bad boy; I didn't think you'd like reading something like this."

"You know me, can't help but be curious. If it's not allowed, you know I want to look," Lelouch took the book.

"Bring it back when you're done, okay?" Milly called.

"I will!" he replied, leaving the room.

He took it outside with him. He began to read.

Lelouch spoke, "I want to bury myself inside your flesh. I want to fock you senseless until you scream my name. I want to run my fingers through the gold dust that is your golden hair and see those lovely emerald green eyes roll back inside your head. My arrow embedded in your sweet mouth, to see you taste me again. The love I have is the candle that burns for you. My wick need only be lit and I will be set ablaze. I will love you forever. My dearest Arturia. Be mine and I would be the happiest man in the world."

Lelouch stopped. His ancestor's wife had dark brown hair. She had been very beautiful.

Arturia. He had said her name in this version of the journal, but no one would suspect that she was Uther's daughter. He hadn't mentioned her surname.

Lelouch took the book and went out and saw Arturia gazing at the sky. She saw the book in his hands.

"By my faith, they published his writings?!" Saber gaped in shock.

"Shhh, this is the uncensored version, it's illegal, I don't want to get in trouble with the authorities!" Lelouch gestured frantically for her to be quiet.

"Ah, I see," Saber sighed. She began examining the book.

Suddenly, Saber began to laugh. "Ah, ever you did have the horn, Aldwin X, even after you were married, you still obsessed over me. "My wick need only be lit and I will be set ablaze." Yes, the only wick you care about, the one between your legs."

She sighed, "He always did request intimacy from me. An embrace, a kiss, teaching me to pleasure him with my mouth."

"You've done  _THAT_?!" Lelouch blurted unexpectedly.

"I have never known a man in the Biblical sense, but I have learned to make them happy. I have spent my entire life in the company of men. What do you think they converse about when off on campaign? Getting to the nearest inn with a pretty wench or eagerly anticipating returning to their wives at home. Sometimes both in the same sentence. Sometimes two at the same time."

"The Knights of the Round Table have been the pinnacle of chivalry, my men fought bravely in battle. I remember the Saxons; I remember how cruel they could be. I remember the Viking raiders that came from the sea."

"I have seen what men can do at war. I have seen Vikings slaughter villages, cutting open pregnant women; I have seen men crush the skulls of children into the dirt. I have seen brutality that would make you vomit."

Lelouch paled, the imagery was disturbing.

"In this era, death can be quick, but melee combat has a level of brutality that has not been seen in 1,500 years."

They talked about many things, he pried her for information that he could use in his school reports. She was amused by this and told him what he wished to know regarding her life and adventures.

* * *

Lelouch felt so drowsy, he'd been studying all day, and due to his nocturnal activities with the Black Knights, he felt exhausted.

He felt his head droop down and suddenly felt himself against something warm and comfortable.

He raised his eyes and was surprised, Saber was there, he could see her smiling at him, that was a rarity for her.

"Get some rest, Your Highness. I will not leave your side."

"Thank you," the words left his lips unexpectedly. Perhaps he was beginning to win her over.

"He used to sleep with his head on my lap, long ago. Before he became cruel and ruthless before he began to hate me. I wonder what would have become of us if I had been able to live as a person."

"The moment I took hold of that sword I knew it would result in nothing but devastation. People were smiling in the vision Merlin showed me. So at that time, I believed the path I chose was not a mistake. I was wrong. The duty of the hero is to be hated and ostracized. That is what I understand now. One might say I am becoming the tyrant that I disdained in life. How amusing. Now I have only one choice to cut down my enemies with all my strength and should I pledge my sword to you, my strength would be yours."

"I have seen your luck for myself, but gambling is one thing, war is another," Lelouch told her.

"Grant me a request, do this and I will utterly defeat the Britannians and capture Princess Cornelia!"

"What request is that, Saber?" Lelouch asked.

"Let me lead the Black Knights into battle, that will show them proof of who I am."

_She's offering me victory? Like she could pull that off all by herself, but then again, all the stories about her say she was the undefeated king, even in death! Is she worth throwing away my strategy for? I didn't even think about the civillian casualties, what should I do?_

Lelouch had always loved risk, this was the biggest gamble of his life and if he could win her loyalty by trusting her, then so be it. What would she do to bring him victory? What could a lone woman do by herself?

But her legend…she was undefeated, even in death.

"I will do as you ask, pledge your loyalty to me, and bring the Black Knights victory!"

"I will fight for you, Lelouch, I have pledged my sword and my loyalty to you," Arturia reached up to stroke his face.

"And I shall not forget it, nor fail to reward that which is given. Fealty with love. Valor with honor. Disloyalty with vengeance. I hope to truly earn your trust, my adorable King of Knights."

"You'd best not taunt me, Your Highness. I might appear young to your eyes, but I am still older and wiser than you are. You do not adore me as you claim. But it matters not, I have made a vow to fight for you, and I will fulfill my oath."

Unbeknownst to them, Milly Ashford had been watching them, listening to their conversation. She was one of the few who knew Lelouch was royalty. She suspected that he could be Zero.

She had also heard Saber speak of the Sword in the Stone, of King Arthur's rule over Britannia.

"So many secrets, Lelouch, or is it Zero? She never called you Zero, but he is fighting the Britannians."

"You are far too astute for your own good," Saber said.

Milly jumped out of her skin and turned to face her. She had seen her staring out Lelouch's window when she thought no one was there.

"What should we do with her, she knows far too much. I was foolish to speak to you in the open. It seems the wisdom of my years is slipping away."

"Arturia, I could make it so she'd forget the whole thing."

"No, she is loyal to your family, is she not? I will be able to move freely about this campus now that she knows I am here."

"Her name, is she the one from that book?" Milly pointed to Aldwin X's memoirs.

"Yes, I am. My relationship with Aldwin X was very complicated."

"She is the esteemed King of Knights? How is that possible?" Milly asked.

"Yes, I am. I have returned for one purpose. To obliterate this country."

"I see, well. It seems that life is going to get interesting around here." Milly walked away. "Now don't think you can slack off Lelouch, I finally got my dirt on you!"

"Don't worry I won't!" he laughed.

"Shirley would be going through the roof if she knew about this. She's always loved those stories."

"Don't tell her, okay?"

"My lips are sealed."

Milly walked away.

"Why did you not let me erase her memories? " Lelouch asked.

"Because civilian allies are useful. She will serve us better by hiding us here willingly. She will have my protection."

Saber clapped her hand on his shoulder, "So tell me what is this strategy of yours?"

"Let's go inside, I'll tell you everything," Lelouch grinned. Her loyalty had been obtained. Now his victory over Britannia would be assured. Though he still wondered what resources she had in her possession, her loyalty was his, and that was enough for now.


	6. The Battle for Narita

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saber brings Lelouch victory over the Britannians as Deithard Reid records her in the heat of battle. Princess Cornelia tries to retreat to her men.

**The Battle for Narita**

It was late at night at Ashford Academy as Lelouch Vi Britannia examined the information on his laptop. High above him, C.C. dove off the diving board and into the water.

Lelouch raised an eyebrow as he saw Arturia Pendragon who was also in the pool, but not really in the pool, but she was walking on the water like Jesus.

 _That's something I didn't think was possible,_ he thought to himself.

The King of Knights seemed to be interested in his conversation with C.C.

"Isn't it wonderful how the number of recruits keeps growing?" C.C. asked him.

"And it was simpler than I ever expected. "While I bitterly hate the Britannians I refuse to condone terrorism", that's the prevailing view of most Elevens."

"Then basically, the Elevens support the Black Knights for the most part," C.C. noted, floating in the water.

"Which in turn makes it easier for us to operate as a whole. It's a huge help that people don't report our activities to the Britannians. Plus, I hear some group called Kyoto offered to send us some Knightmares. The number of informants has been increasing quickly too."

Lelouch rested his hand on his chin. "The Japanese can't resist jumping on the bandwagon. They hear a well-grounded buzzword and off they go."

C.C. got out of the pool, "Hence the "knights for justice" act," she observed.

"Yeah, well everybody loves a hero, and what better hero than a knight?" he smiled at her.

C.C. laughed, "I kind of doubt that's what a real knight for justice would say."

"You don't think so?" Lelouch asked.

She glanced at Arturia, who did laugh.

"Tell me, Your Highness is everything you say in your speeches a lie or do you believe your own words? Or is what you say what you want the media's perception of Zero and the Black Knights to be?" she left the pool and moving to stand before him. Saber folded her arms. "I watched that speech of yours, it's easy to believe in the Back Knights when their leader sounds so noble and earnest."

"Perhaps I believe what I say, Saber, is it really so important to you?" Lelouch asked.

"You let lies leave your lips so effortlessly, I have pledged my sword to you, but that aspect of your personality does trouble me."

"I do believe in justice, Saber. I am not lying when I say I want to protect the innocent. That is important to me."

He gestured to her.

"How is it that you know so much about this era? You get around effortlessly and you are not overwhelmed by the technical advances of the modern world."

"I was summoned to this era twice by the Holy Grail, I thought that it could grant my wish, but what I sought was not what it turned out to be."

"What was your wish, Saber?" Lelouch was curious.

"To avert Britannia's destruction," Arturia replied, staring at him solemnly. "But I failed to reach my ideal, and should not have become King."

"You wished to change fate?" Lelouch was stunned by this.

"It doesn't matter, the Grail was corrupt, it would not grant my wish without bloodshed, it was something that I destroyed because it was evil."

"That's interesting, Saber. Who summoned you here?" Lelouch was thoughtful. There was more to her than he perceived, and yet she hesitated to join his cause.

"The first time, a Japanese mercenary and assassin who wished to obtain the Grail. The second time was by his adopted son, one of the Japanese Mages."

"What were you supposed to do for them?"

"I was to fight other Servants, famous individuals throughout history to the death to have both my wish and that of my Master granted by the Holy Grail."

 _So that's why they're so close to her,_ Lelouch thought, a bond like theirs could only be forged in the fires of war.

Lelouch smiled, Saber had revealed something about herself, something he could use to win her to his cause. He remained optimistic that his plans would succeed. If she were a part of that, all the better.

* * *

Saber found Diethard Reid as he stood inside the Black Knights' hideout.

"Satisfy my curiosity, why would a Britannian join a resistance group?" Saber asked him.

"I have been fascinated by Zero since the day he appeared and negotiated Suzaku Kururugi's release. I was demoted and so I left. I want to bear witness to history and watch Zero's story unfold."

"Do you wish to chronicle history or write history yourself?" Saber asked him.

"What makes you say that?" Diethard Reid looked at her curiously.

"You're a man who wants to shape the story as he sees fit, I've known men like you and I don't like them very much, but fortunately for me, you're easy to read."

"I see," Diethard said smoothly. "I'll make sure to stay on your good side then."

"You're a news reporter, are you not? You're risking your career coming here."

"All I want is the story. And what of you, why would a Britannian such as yourself join a resistance group? You seem like a person who could do whatever they want." Diethard Reid was genuinely curious about her.

"I'm not a "Britannian". I have my reasons, I despise this country, it is a perversion of what it should be, what I wanted it to be. So I must destroy it. That is my reason for being here."

"You speak like you have the right to rule this country."

"It is why I was born, you could say, I was created for it."

"Are you a member of the royal family? And why tell me this information?"

"Because I'm sure you suspect it already, Mr. Reid," Saber smiled slightly. "I have never been of their bloodline, those royal jackasses are nothing more than pretenders to the throne of Britannia."

Diethard Reid laughed. "How bold of you to say such things! And I thought Zero caught my attention."

"Will you do me the honor of accompanying me onto the battlefield? I will protect you, but in order for me to send a message to Britannia, I need a messenger, and I feel you'll do nicely. I will guarantee your safety myself."

"How exciting, normally I'd turn this down but you said you would guarantee my safety. Whatever you're planning is something I don't want to miss."

The other Black Knights were talking excitedly about the new Knightmare frames from Kyoto.

Lelouch decided to strike against the Britannians as they attacked the Japan Liberation Front in the Narita Mountains. Using his Geass powers, he forced the guards to ignore their activity.

"C.C., what are you doing here?" Lelouch asked.

"I said I would protect you, didn't I?" she asked.

"Aren't you overdoing it?" Lelouch countered.

"I've been wondering about something Lelouch, why are you, Lelouch?"

"I don't have time to discuss philosophy with you," Lelouch smirked.

"You changed your family Surname to Lamperouge but kept Lelouch the name that was given to you at birth. You can't let go of the past."

"C.C. swings to the other extreme doesn't it? It's not a human name," he retorted.

"Lelouch, do you know why snow is white? Snow is white because it's forgotten what color it's supposed to be."

* * *

The Britannians had spent the entire morning preparing for their one-sided battle against the Japan Liberation Front, going over their main battle strategy to surround them and flush them out of hiding.

"All units are in position," the commander told Princess Cornelia.

"Understood," Cornelia replied. "Euphie will provide logistical support from G1 as planned. Have her command the medical group."

"Yes, Your Highness," the man replied.

"Princess Cornelia," Guilford spoke up.

"Guilford let me guess; this is about Euphie, isn't it?" Cornelia noted.

"Yes, she really should be in a government agency not-"

"But she's being unusually stubborn about this. She told me she wanted to see actual combat for herself."

"What's that unit there holding to the rear?" Euphemia asked.

"Our reserve force with an Eleven pilot," a soldier explained to her.

"What? You mean that's the Lancelot?" Euphie was surprised that Suzaku was there.

"As a rule, Numbers aren't permitted to operate Knightmares but that particular unit is an exception," the soldier finished explaining to her.

Another soldier spoke up, "The second prince is the patron of that unit.  
We have no say over their personal selection. But he said he wants them to have as many chances at real combat as possible."

"Yes, Saber will bring us victory over the Briannians. I'm unsure of what she will do, but she told me she didn't need the Radiant Wave Surger.

"Are you really going through with this?" Kaname Ohgi asked Zero.

"Yes, Saber shall lead us into battle, and bring us a stunning victory. She gave me her word."

"Viceroy, it's time," Darlton told her.

"Right, commence operation," Princess Cornelia ordered.

Cornelia spoke to herself, "You, the Japan Liberation Front. You, who time has left behind. You, who have forgotten basic human decency. You and your dream of a bygone golden age shall fall and rot to nothingness!"

"It's begun," Lelouch told them.

Tamaki began to panic, "Huh? What the hell? You've gotta be kidding, Zero. Those troops coming in have this whole area totally surrounded. There's no way out!"

"We've already been cut off. Our only chance of surviving now is to fight," Lelouch told them grimly.

Inoue balked at his words, "What? We can't fight the Britannians!

Tamaki continued ranting, "Let me get this straight. We're surrounded and you want us to fight them head-on?"

Sugiyama stared at him, "And we'll be fighting against Cornelia. Her forces are far stronger than any we've encountered!"

"Correct. It would be a miracle if we win this," Lelouch stated simply.

Ohghi looked at him, "Zero, what are you saying?"

Lelouch: Even Messiahs need to perform miracles if they're to be acknowledged. Therefore, we have to produce our own miracle, don't we?"

Tamaki continued shouting, "Now look, pulling this off isn't gonna be cheap! The price could be our lives! I knew it wasn't sane to make you our leader! It should be me!"

Lelouch pointed his gun at Tamaki, then flipped it around and offered it to him.

"Our path of retreat has been cut off. If you think you can win without me then shoot me! Someone…anyone!"

There was silence.

"Since you have joined the Black Knights, you have only two options, you may either live with me, or you may perish with me!"

"I have given command of the Black Knights to Saber, follow her orders as you would mine. She promised me complete and utter victory over the Britannians, but I need to know that the rest of you are with me."

"Do whatever you want," Tamaki snapped in frustration. He'd been overruled.

"Send a message to the Japan Liberation Front, tell them to hold down their fort and do not try to break the encirclement, they will only expose their position to the Britannians. I will rescue them with my own two hands," Saber told them.

Saber stood above them.

"Here and now, I will show you a miracle!" Saber unsheathed her sword.

As she uttered these words, the entire battlefield seemed to stop.

* * *

This is Lelouch Vi Britannia for now.

Looking at him, one would only see an ordinary high school student with no goals or ambitions. To most, he is a brilliant but lazy teenager who would rather gamble for money than attend class. He is polite and likable and sociable. He is utterly uninterested in doing anything with his life.

That is the mask he wears at Ashford Academy. But here, now, in his Zero costume he literally wears a mask, but in his own way, shows his true face.

As Zero he is immensely charismatic, using all his lessons learned as royalty, along with his own earnestness to win the hearts of men and women that would have never followed him if they knew he was Britannian royalty.

Here with the Black Knights, he is the cunning and clever strategist with the ability to perform what could be called miracles, but he knows it is nothing but calculations, stage production, and his Geass, along with his skillful ability to read people and predict their actions and plan accordingly. He knows how to make a stage production and because of his Geass, he can force others to obey his commands.

But there is one he cannot command or control, she who sees through the lies he has woven around himself, someone who is an idealist, someone who knows the real Lelouch Vi Britannia, like C.C., she cannot be controlled by Geass.

He's enchanted by her; it must be in his blood. His ancestor, Aldwin X was bound and determined to have her for himself, despite the fact that Arturia Pendragon had been his sworn enemy throughout her rule.

Now his descendant has chosen to follow her and has done what he could not, won her sword and her loyalty to his side.

He has performed a miracle that will remain unknown when the history books speak of Zero the Miracle Worker.

All the significant events in his life revolve around women. The death of his mother. The injuries his younger sister had endured at the age of eight. The bestowal of his powers came from a woman. And the one who would bring him victory over his half-sister was a woman.

One could say he was defined by the women in his life. But that is not entirely true; he is defined by one man in his life. His father, Charles Zi Britannia, a man who had told him that he was dead from the moment he was born. Those cruel words are a wound that had never fully healed. He wouldn't forgive his father's needless cruelty to him and his sister.

He is an exiled Britannian Prince who was made a tool of diplomacy for standing up for his blind and crippled sister. The injustice of his punishment, to be called dead by his father and abandoned in a foreign land, it was unforgivable.

His anger fueled his hatred of Britannia and everything it stood for.

For so long, he could only dream of the day he could move against Britannia. It was only after he had obtained the power of Geass from C.C. that he could finally begin to overthrow his father, Emperor Charles Zi Britannia.

But then C.C. had bestowed the power of Geass upon him, and his world had changed, by using the power of Geass, he had been able to defeat the Britannians and now with the Black Knights and Saber, his victory was assured.

He had not initially believed the truth of her identity but Saber had continued to prove herself to him again and again. She continued to show her immense skills as a leader, commanding the Black Knights as they faced insurmountable odds.

He had intended to use the Radiant Wave Surger to bury the Britannians in a landslide but clearly Saber had other plans, plans that she hadn't revealed to him yet.

Lelouch always enjoyed gambling, but he had never thrown away his plans for someone else's but she had promised him complete victory over the Britannians.

This was his biggest gamble, and he was betting his life on this game.

For the first time in a long time, he was enjoying himself. This is Lelouch Vi Britannia for now.

* * *

Arturia remembered the last time she had faced Lelouch's ancestor, Aldwin X in battle and the "speech" he'd given. It was not nearly as motivational or eloquent.

_"I will crush the false King of Knights under my heel I will crush him and make him suffer! I have the horn just thinking about what I will do when I celebrate my victory over him. And at last, I say this. There will be coronets and pies for all when we are victorious! And any who wish it may dance in the moonlight with my friend, the giant sausage! Now, who is with me? And lastly, you should know my madness was but a passing fancy, now that I've had a chance to talk it over with my horse, he has suggested I need more rest, and after this battle is done, I think I will be following his counsel. Now look to your—"_

_Aldwin X began to panic, "Snake! Snake, snake, snake, snake! OH MY GOD, TAKE IT AWAY!"_

Mordred was laughing hysterically from across the field.

The battle had been completely one-sided and Arturia had won against him easily thanks to his abysmal battle strategy.

She had spared him after he'd pitifully begged for his life. She had spared him out of the feelings she had for him. She had ruled perfectly, not once erring in her judgment, and after that moment, he had never attacked her again, but it was not long after that battle that Lancelot's relationship with Guinevere had been exposed, causing the Realm of Logres to fall to ruin.

Now his descendent led his small band of troops into battle, alike they were in appearance but so different in personality they were. She smiled; she could see why men would follow the exiled Prince.

"You will either live with me, or you will perish with me! Saber has promised us victory in battle if I give command of the Black Knights to her. This is my decision, to give command of the Black Knights to her. Follow her orders and the task at hand will be cleared!"

"Here and now, I announce my return and declare war upon this false Britannia that has stolen my name and legend. I have come again because Britannia needs me, and the Realm of Logres shall rise once again, with me as its rightful King!"

She spoke again, "Hear me, people of Britannia, to Princess Cornelia and her men: surrender to me or you will die. I Arturia Pendragon, High King of Britannia and founder of Camelot have returned to my land and my kingdom!"

Saber unsheathed her sword and held it high; unleashing an unnatural gust of wind that blew back the Knightmare frames that had charged into to attack her after she had cut down the bullets from their guns.

The wind dissipated and revealed her golden blade. The symbol of her identity and a declaration of who she was.

"Oh wind, enrage!" Saber called to her sword as the wind once again sent them flying back down the mountainside.

Another pair of Knightmare frames approached her, they attacked her. "We'll cut you to pieces, you lowly—"

"Overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer!" Arturia smiled. They stared in horror when they saw that she was behind them, just before their Knightmare frames exploded, killing them.

Diethard Reid had followed her, eagerly awaiting what she would do.

Suddenly, a Knightmare frame landed near the bottom of the mountain. "I have you now, my little Bear King!" Luciano Bradley called to her mockingly.

"Bastard!" Saber snarled. She recognized that monster by his voice alone, so he had come to face her in person. She was going to savor her revenge.

"Make your peace with God, you so-called knights. Your lives are going to end soon!"

She held her blade high, "A riposte to those eyes, to the heart of those who would protect their masters!"

She held her sword above her head; the wind flared up and began to dissipate revealing the true nature of her sword. "Arise, my sword!"

She swung her golden blade as she unleashed an unearthly light upon the mountains of Narita.

"EXCALIBUR!" she cried out, pointing the sword down the mountainside as she unleashed the power of her Noble Phantasm.

The light flowed down the mountainside like a golden river, consuming the Knightmare frames and the men inside.

Diethard Reid was laughing with joy, recording everything with the camera he'd implanted inside his Knightmare frame.

"I'd say this is impossible but I have it on video! Is she really the renowned and undefeated King of Knights? The righteous and perfect king and the egotistical embodiment of chaos! What an unlikely pair, I could not have chosen a better story to chronicle!"

The reporter burst out laughing.

"Rin, activate the bounded field now!" Saber ordered.

Rin activated it, the Knightmare frames standing on the edge of the bounded field exploded.

"Shirou, do not let them retreat!" Saber gave him orders.

Shirou unleashed his magecraft, sending a hail of swords raining down on them from the air, killing anyone that had escaped Excalibur's vast range.

Lelouch who could always find the words to say found himself staring in dumbstruck awe, with one swing of her blade; she had obliterated the best of Princess Corneilia's troops. All without endangering the citizens below the mountain.

Holy swords, magic, he would have scoffed at such things if not for his Geass powers. Still, Lelouch knew he had obtained the allegiance of Britannia's greatest legend, and that she would bring him victory in ways he had never dreamed of.

Jeremiah Gottwald had been recklessly charging up the mountain, trying to find Zero to defeat him. He came to a halt, and he could see the beautiful golden light that filled his chivalrous heart with dread and yet he could not tear his eyes away from the brilliant sight.

"Oh God forgive me," he uttered, perhaps it was the first time he had really prayed to God at all. If he was up there, the chivalrous knight hoped for a modicum of mercy that he might not be taken into that light. He knew that if he went into that light there would be no coming out of it.

As the golden light washed over him, his last coherent thought was that he never thought death could be so peaceful.

* * *

Luciano Bradley caught one of his own men trying to retreat from the battle.

"You'll do nicely!" Luciano Bradley shouted as he grabbed one of his own fellow Knightmare pilots and threw the man, Knightmare frame and all straight at Saber. "Block this, little Bear King!"

The Knight of Ten hurled the unlucky Knightmare frame, pilot and all at the King of Knights; Arturia did not flinch as she unleashed her Noble Phantasm. The golden light sprang forth from her blade in an enormous burst of golden mana, engulfing the Knightmare frame, causing it to explode and blowback anyone nearby, killing them instantly. She effortlessly leaped away, performing feats that were physically impossible for a woman of her size and build.

Lelouch stared in awe, he thought he'd seen impressive feats on the battlefield, but Saber, Arturia Pendragon, was far beyond anything he could have imagined.

Diethard Reid could barely keep the camera on her; her speed and strength were astounding.

"Dun Stallion!" Saber called the name of her horse. Lelouch looked up, wondering how in the world her horse could get there, but then again, it was probably Merlin making that possible, for someone who was basically a disembodied ghost he could do quite a bit if he wanted to.

He saw the bounded field surrounding the mountains vanish for a moment, and then reappear.

The horse made its way up the mountain without being shot, it seemed to instinctively know how to avoid being shot at or something was protecting the creature from bullets. Lelouch was stunned, it didn't seem possible that a horse could be bulletproof, but there it was, racing toward its mistress effortlessly.

She leaped on to the horse and began riding down the mountain. A feat made all the more impressive because the horse had no saddle.

The men that had stayed back charged at her, she cut down the legs of their Knightmare frames, leaping off the horse trying to cut out the pilots from their machines, the men began ejecting out of fear and panic.

She was just one woman and she was whittling away their depleted numbers

Saber caught sight of Luciano Bradley and charged forward on her horse. He fired several rounds at her and she sliced them down with ease, whirling her blade to send them ricocheting away.

He pulled out his lance and charged her.

Luciano Bradley blanched in horror as he saw his enemy smile. She dismounted the horse, sending Dun Stallion away.

The Knight of Ten stabbed at her with his lance, Saber jumped away, parrying the blow. Swinging her sword left to right, she continued to bat away his attacks.

He tried to wrest her weapon away from her, but Saber easily avoided the Knightmare frame's attempts to grab at her weapon, besides, it would be too small for the giant hands to grasp in the first place.

It was then that Luciano Bradley felt fear hit him, as the woman he had tormented and tortured long ago began to move. Each step a blow, and each blow a step, she was nothing more than a machine of battle now, fully focused on killing him.

She called for the horse and sprang atop it, giving chase as he tried to get away. The horse shouldn't be able to keep up with his machine, but it did.

Even his skills as a Knightmare pilot had become a joke. If he remained here, she'd take his life.

Luciano Bradley felt overwhelmed, and he'd never experienced a situation like this before. He grabbed the controls of his Knightmare frame and began to retreat from battle. He had never truly believed that Arturia Pendragon was as powerful as her legends claimed, but she was cutting his Knightmare frame to pieces on a horse in the mountains. No matter how he tried to attack her, she never stopped attacking him.

He backed away, he had no advantages, and the pilot of that Eleven Knightmare frame had decided to join the fray and he didn't have any more pilots to sacrifice as human ammo or shields.

"I'll deal with both of you some other time!" Luciano sneered. He retreated down the mountain.

Arturia restrained herself from pursuing him. There were other things she had to deal with. Princess Cornelia was her highest priority and because capturing her was Saber's main objective.

Kallen had gone off to join Zero in pursuit of Princess Cornelia.

"Kallen here Saber, Zero's with me, there's no way I'm letting her get away!" Kallen told her.

"Good, keep her contained until I arrive!"

Lelouch Vi Britannia chuckled to himself. The task at hand had been cleared; no one would stop him from capturing Princess Cornelia.

* * *

Princess Cornelia Li Britannia stared in horror as the unearthly golden light swept half her army away, she could hear the numerous explosions as pilots either ejected or died instantly.

And despite it all through her speakers, it should have been impossible to hear, but she heard a name, a name she had never expected to hear, she'd only heard it in children's stories, the ones that her mother used to tell her as a child.

"Order everyone to fall back!" she commanded. She wouldn't be beaten by just one woman.

Kallen screamed as she charged at the Princess, "Cornelia!"

"Lowborn scum!" the Princess sneered. The Princess tried to stab the Gurren Mark II with her lance and vaulted up to attack her from above.

Kallen grunted inside her cockpit, "Ugh…!"

Cornelia was surprised, "What's this? That's not just a customized unit. The Black Knights shot at her so she couldn't climb away.

Zero spoke to her so she could hear him, "Can you hear me, Cornelia?  This is checkmate."

Cornelia snarled out his name, "Zero."

Zero smiled, "Yes. Should we celebrate our reunion? Of course, you'll have to surrender to us first. And after that, there are a few questions I want to ask you. And in case you are wondering, your reinforcements won't get here in time. I win, Cornelia."

If she could get passed the Eleven Knightmare frame, she would be free and clear, but this woman, this lowborn scum pilot, was giving her a run for her money.

"You are a fool, Zero. This one. If I take this one out, I'm free and clear!" Cornelia retorted.

She tried to stab the red Eleven Knightmare with her lance, but the pilot blocked her blow with the hand and began melting the weapon.

"You have some moves!" She complimented her sarcastically.

"Now I can truly celebrate our reunion," Zero told her as he saw Saber land in front of Princess Cornelia.

"Guilford. Guilford, my knight. You and Darlton protect Euphie," she ordered.

"Your Highness!" Guilford shouted.

"I won't surrender. As an imperial princess, I'll fight to the last!" Princess Cornelia snarled.

Guilford shouted, "Princess Cornelia!"

"Huh, she's so predictable," Lelouch smirked.

Suddenly, the white Knightmare frame appeared and landed between Princess Cornelia and the Gurren Mark II.

"I've come to help, Your Highness," Suzaku called to her.

"Special Core, who authorized this?" Cornelia asked.

"Sub Viceroy Euphemia," Suzaku explained.

Suddenly, two figures stood in front of the white Knightmare frame.

"The Eleven Mages!" Cornelia shouted. She wasn't expecting them to be there, then again, there was the fabled "King Arthur", standing in her way as well.

"Concentrate on Princess Cornelia, we'll handle the white Knightmare frame," Shirou told them. "My teacher's one specialty is wrecking modern technology with magecraft, although she can do that without any magical assistance," Shirou smiled.

Rin elbowed him, scowling.

"Enough games, it's time to end this!" Cornelia snarled.

"Time to end it indeed," Arturia smiled, she brandished Excalibur with a flourish and a salute, "Come then!"

The King of Knights leaped forward, ready to take on the Goddess of Victory.


	7. Wishes and Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After their victory, the Mages Association arrives to greet King Arthur. Prince SChneizel learns of the battle's aftermath and Saber makes Lelouch an offer of anything he desires.

"Now for you, Knightmare frame pilot," Rin Tohsaka smiled as she stepped forward.

"You're a fool to fight me, I'll blow you to bits," Suzaku warned.

"I don't think so," Rin smirked.

She stepped forward.

"Laden Bracchen!" Rin shouted, raising her hand, her magic circuits glowed as she blew a large hole in the Lancelot that had the alarms blaring. As startled as he was, it hadn't completely damaged the machine.

"Something blew a hole in the Lancelot, I have to get out and fight!"

"Our sensors didn't even pick it up! What was it?!" Lloyd panicked.

"This isn't good at all!" Cecile added.

His screen was blank, but he knew he couldn't give up yet.

"Warrant Officer Kururugi, take the Princess and get out!" Lloyd panicked, he'd never seen his nigh invincible machine sustain so much damage that the sensors hadn't picked it up.

He contemplated popping his hatch but it seemed that the Japanese Mage had made up her mind to open his hatch, a feat that didn't seem possible.

Rin began to chant her spell, "Es ist Goẞ. est ist Klein. Vox gott es Atlas!"

Rin activated the magic circuits in her legs, causing her to move towards the Knightmare frame and an inhuman speed, she leapt up higher than any normal human could, she raised her hand.

"Staẞe Gehen," Rin slammed her hand into the face of the Knightmare frame, the magic spell shattered the "head", revealing the pilot inside.

Rin Tohsaka was stunned, the Tohsaka family had always been on good terms with the Kururugi's, to the rest of Japan, the Tohsaka's were wealthy citizens who were well connected throughout the country, including politically, financially supporting Genbu Kurugi's appointment as Prime Minister.

"You're—!" Rin started.

"Suzaku Kururgi!" Shirou finished, snarling out his name in anger.

"Rin Tohsaka!" Suzaku gasped. He hadn't seen her since he was a child. She would often visit his father at the Kururugi shrine where they would talk politics.

He launched himself upward, flipping backward, kicking her. He was stunned when she blocked his kick with her fists.

"So you do remember the martial arts I taught you!" she smirked. "Good! It'll make kicking your ass even better!"

Rin unceremoniously threw him out of his Knightmare frame, he managed to scramble to his feet as Rin Tohsaka practically landed on him.

Suzaku was terrified of the gaping hole she left in the ground. He'd never seen her do anything like that before!

Rin smashed her fist into this Abula oblongata and she was shocked he didn't go down.

"You still won't go down, you treacherous little brat!" she snarled at him. He executed a spinning kick that he knew most civilians couldn't avoid.

Rin managed to meet his kick with her own, one that sent him flying several feet away. Suddenly, he changed tactics and charged at Shirou, rushing in, blocking the hand that held one of his swords as he punched Shirou in the face.

Or he would have, but instead, he felt the dizzying pain of a steel-toed boot meeting his face at terminal velocity. He tried to reorient himself.

"You deserve this," Shirou spoke to him. Shirou proceeded to stab him in the gut from behind.

Suzaku felt the air push out of his lungs as he saw the sword enter him. He collapsed on the ground.

"Is betraying everyone around you the only way you further yourself? You sold your soul to our invaders, rather than join with us in resistance. If anyone should have some pride as a Japanese citizen, I'd think it'd be the son of the late Prime Minister, Genbu Kururugi!"

Shirou snarled angrily, "Were you blinded by the possibility of becoming a Britannian noble or a knight? Those false fools who play at being chivalrous while trampling on everyone else. I have seen true knighthood and chivalry, and someone like you is none of those things!"

"So says a man who fights dirty!" Suzaku snapped back. "Like you have any pride, stabbing me in the back! You think you're some kind of hero, you think you can save Japan all by yourself?!"

"It's true, I'm not a prideful man, but what does that matter? Does it lessen the honor of heroes? I admit, you're amusing Suzaku Kururugi, but success washes away dishonor. Keep your useless pride to yourself, or feed it to the dogs for all I care!"

He set his blades against Suzaku's throat, "Now I'm going to make you pay for selling out your country!"

"I'm not afraid to die! If I'm going to die, it'll be in service to the people!"

Shirou realized something, "Oh I see, you're one of _those_ people! I'm not going to indulge someone like you, who wants to die some kind of martyr. I'll let her decide what to do with you as soon as she finishes dealing with Princess Cornelia."

"I had my reasons…my father was not a good person. He wanted to sacrifice the Japanese military through do or die resistance. He was also willing to murder my friend as a political favor to someone in the Britannian Royal Family, but scum like you wouldn't have a problem murdering a blind and crippled little girl!"

Rin Tohsaka and Shirou glanced at each other. Saber had described Lelouch's family to them once; the younger sister Nunnally fit that description perfectly.

"I'm not scum, I wouldn't stoop so low, but you still didn't have to join their military, you could live your life any way you want without selling your soul to them. You're still scum, despite your noble intentions!"

Shirou superficially bandaged his wounds. "If you were anyone else, I'd be happy to save your life. I have always wanted to save everyone, but for you, I'll be happy to make an exception! But I can't, you're still important, and she'll have to decide what to do with you."

"And why would a Japanese Mage up and follow a Britannian?! It's just hypocritical!" Suzaku mocked him.

Rin glared at him, "Arturia Pendragon is not a Britannian!"

Suzaku was stunned, but wasn't King Arthur a Britannian legend?

"Let's just sit back and enjoy the show!" Shirou said as the three looked on.

Princess Cornelia found her Knightmare frame couldn't move, so she exited the machine, brandishing her sword.

Saber smiled, this was going to be interesting.

Cornelia began with a series of slashes in quick succession, wide, sweeping blows that would throw most normal soldiers off balance with their speed.

But Arturia Pendragon wasn't an ordinary soldier. She recognized the swordplay; it was Aldwin's but far more precise and less clumsy.

"Royal swordplay, it seems Aldwin's brash style of fighting remains. He was never that good!"

Cornelia smirked as she watched the King of Knights. They exchanged blows, the King was an excellent fighter, but surely her techniques were 1,500 years old and out-of-date.

She didn't noticed how Arturia met each of her attacks effortlessly, parrying them with minimal effort.

The Princess swept her blade, striking at the knight's legs, to her shock, she leapt and stood atop her sword.

Her sweeping blows Cornelia blocked with ease. Then she noticed something. The King wasn't using both hands, she held her sword in a grip where her left hand was holding the pommel.

"Why are you using only one hand? Is it because you're too weak?" she taunted.

"No, this would be over far too quickly, I want this to last a little longer You Britannians always want to finish quickly, it is a trait of your family, whether in the bedroom or on the battlefield, you people give no thought to strategy or planning, just finish everything with speed and haste," Saber sneered.

"What would someone like you know about the bedroom; after all, you're a cuck!" Cornelia laughed. "Or is that more embarrassing because you're actually a woman?"

"I know much more about it than you'd think," Arturia smirked.

Arturia lowered herself just a little. Cornelia rushed in. Suddenly, Saber unleashed a flurry of attacks that the Princess couldn't keep up with, her blade moved with blinding spend and precision, arcing and spinning about.

The blade flew from Princess Cornelia's hands.

Princess Cornelia was stunned when Saber was already behind her, slamming the pommel of her sword into the Princess's head. She slumped to the ground.

"You don't get to fight to the last today, Your Highness," Saber sneered down at her. "Only those who prove themselves on the battlefield are fit to rule, that is your philosophy isn't it? Well, it seems I am more than fit to rule this Godforsaken country. You are my prisoner now. And I will present you as a gift to Zero. A gift to prove my loyalty."

Saber slammed her pommel into the Princess's head before she could react. The fight was over far too quickly. Lelouch found it amusing.

Kallen and Ohgi grabbed her arms and dragged her away.

The Black Knights surrounded the base where Princess Euphemia was and they forced them to surrender.

Lelouch Vi Britannia smiled, he had obtained victory over his sister, and now she was going to answer his questions.

Lelouch began to laugh, smiling wildly with joy. Arturia Pendragon had done the impossible; she had brought him total victory over the Britannians.

The Black Knights began to cheer as the Britannians fled in terror.

Saber held high her golden blade, her eyes shown with a bright, burning fierce joy.

"Everyone fall back, we've won, let them leave. They're nothing but scurrying rats now."

The Black Knights retreated.

* * *

Arturia Pendragon had occupied herself with looting the dead, not that there was anything of value on them, most of them were dressed in the same uniform.

She saw a man with dark hair and a peaceful expression on his face, she peered closely at him.

"By my faith, he's not dead!" she exclaimed, fascinated, he had been in the vicinity of her Noble Phantasm and yet he was alive.

"My Holy Sword spared you, I do not believe I have ever seen that before," Saber told herself.

Arturia Pendragon smiled mysteriously at the unconscious Knightmare Frame pilot. "I'm sparing you on a whim, you look like a good man, misguided as you are. You actually possess a modicum of bravery that gave me a sense of whimsy."

She used her scabbard to heal him as he lay there unconscious. She put him with the rest of her prisoners.

She hadn't been on a battlefield since Camlann, and that was a memory she didn't want to think about…

* * *

_**1,500 years ago…** _

_Aldwin Vi Britannia rode swiftly towards Camlann Hill. He had to get there in time. He would crush the usurper Mordred and with this valiant deed, he would be welcomed back to Britannia as its hero._

_And after the celebrations were over, he had plans, he would let the King's true gender be known far and wide and marry her, it would of course be a marriage that would solely benefit him, he would pass on his name to his descendants. But it would end like a troubadour's tale with a perfect, happy ending._

_She would belong to him fully, he would have her heart, her love, her hand in marriage and what mattered to him the most, her finally in his bed, screaming his name as he took her virginity, crying out that he was the only man she would ever want._

_But just as important as Arturia's political power, he would make her his political puppet, he might not have been a master strategist, but he knew her more than others and he could easily play to her emotions, she would believe anything as long as she "loved" him._

_Aldwin Vi Britannia's pleasant daydreams of victory shattered. He stared at the battlefield in stunned silence, even his men wheeled their horses around in terror, fleeing away._

_Her entire army, the finest warriors in Britannia lay slain on the blood-soaked battlefield, dead men on both sides. The only one fighting was that treacherous bastard, Mordred._

_"Where is King Arthur?! Show yourself to me, King of Knights!" Mordred screamed in rage._

_A knight rushed at her as Mordred cut off his arm._

_Mordred planted the hilt of the sword in the ground, breathing hard._

_Aldwin watched, he felt afraid without his men beside him, but the knight didn't even see or notice him._

_Mordred stretched out her hands, "How's this? It's over King Arthur, your kingdom is doomed!" Mordred proclaimed as they prepared to fight._

_Their blades met, "This is revenge for not relinquishing the throne to me!"_

_Arturia readied her sword._

_Mordred clenched his fist, "Do you hate me? Do you detest me that much? Is it because I am the child of a witch?"_

_Mordred charged Arthur, raising his sword, "ANSWER ME, ARTHUR!"_

_"Why? Why did you refuse to pass the throne to me?!" Mordred screamed in rage and anger._

_Arturia looked at Mordred. "I have never once thought of you as detestable."_

_The King took up her lance and was on Mordred before she could even react._

_"For one simple reason, you do not have it in you what it takes to be a king," Saber replied solemnly._

_They fought hard exchanging fierce blows, "Traitor! Now your death is upon you!" Arturia brought her sword Excalibur slashing upwards, cutting deeply into Mordred's face. She saw the helmet shatter._

_Aldwin Vi Britannia was utterly mortified. His plan had been to charge in a crush Mordred's rebellion. Surely she would welcome him back with open arms if he saved the country. Instead, the traitor was dead, but what stunned him most of all were the traitorous knight's last words, or rather word._

_"_ _Father". She had called Arturia "Father." It didn't make sense; it made no sense at all. They'd never consummated her feelings for him. He would have known about her having a male lover, he knew her far better than many of the courtiers and servants in Camelot._

_He was seething. There had been another man. It had to be Lancelot. He too knew she was a woman, and he'd confessed to Aldwin in private that he knew the secret of the King's gender as well and that he had feelings for her more than just loving her as a king._

_It had to have been Lancelot, it was the only logical explanation, but despite his anger, he didn't care about Mordred's parentage now that the traitor was dead, all he cared about was keeping Arturia alive. He could save Britannia and obtain the glory always denied him by fate._

_He stared in awe as she still stood, raising her one hand towards the heavens, reaching for a bright golden light that shown down on her. She suddenly vanished, to his horror. Where had she gone? Within moments, she appeared again, with a look of such devastation, she left him speechless._

_"_ _I'm here…again…" she whispered brokenly, she didn't even acknowledge him._

 _"_ _Everyone…Lance…Lancelot!" she sobbed in anguish._

 _"_ _I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I am unworthy!" she fell to her knees. "One day, friend, I will claim the Grail!"_

_Her entire body shook, Aldwin was in shock, what was she talking about?_

_"_ _It was not I who should have…been King!"_

_Aldwin shook with rage and jealousy, was he so insignificant to her that she would want to actually save Sir Lancelot, who had disgraced her? His "mistake" of beating a peasant that was one of the King's "guests" had him banished, but that was trivial, sullying the King's reputation by making "him" a cuckold was far more disgraceful._

_Suddenly, Arturia raised her eyes to heaven and a golden light shown down, and once again, she vanished._

_Aldwin was stunned and bewildered by everything going on, but once again, she reappeared and this time there were no tears, he managed to catch her as she collapsed._

_Then he spotted him, that bastard Bedivere, the most loyal knight in Britannia. A man he was immensely jealous of, because of his wisdom and vast knowledge, he had become an invaluable_ advisor to the King, _what Aldwin wished he could be._

_"Get out of here, you traitor," Bedivere glared at him._

_"I came to give the King aid, it seems even I'm too late," he kept his polite veneer while inwardly seething._

_Sir Luncan managed to help Bedivere move the King, they refused to let Aldwin touch her. Aldwin watched in shock as Sir Luncan died from his wounds. They lay the king beneath a tree. Bedivere knelt in front of the King._

_"King Arthur, I'll fetch the troops immediately. Just rest for now."_

_"Bedivere," Arturia spoke quietly._

_"You regained consciousness, Sire!" he was overjoyed but concerned._

_"I was just…dreaming for a moment," Arturia's voice was wistful._

What was this dream? _Aldwin was confused._

_"Yes. I rarely have dreams. It was an invaluable experience."_

_"In that case, rest without worry, Sire," Bedivere reassured her. "If you close your eyes again, surely you will begin the dream where you left off."_

_Aldwin had always been jealous that the man always knew just what to say and when to say it._

_"Continue the dream. Is it possible to continue the same dream?" she asked._

_Bedivere looked pained, searching for the right answer. He spoke._

_"I have done it many times myself, Sire. You just have to want it enough."_

_"I see. You are a person of great knowledge, listen to me, Bedivere. You must take my sword."_

_The knight was stunned._

_"Now listen closely. I want you to ride through this forest, and over that blood soaked hill, beyond that you will find a deep lake. I want you to throw my sword into that lake."_

_The knight rode off, weeping as he went._

_"Go on, Bedivere."_

_Arturia reached out and weakly touched his face._

_"_ _I forgive you, Aldwin Vi Britannia," her breathing was so heavy. It was difficult staying awake, being alive; she had not settled things with her past. And Shirou and Rin, she missed them, but she would not go back to them again. She needed to settle things with Aldwin before she died._

 _"_ _I don't want your forgiveness, I want you to live! This wasn't how it was supposed to go! Arturia! I was supposed to save you, and yet you've gone away twice! We're supposed to save this country! We're supposed to be together! Us! I will never forgive you if you die! Never!"_

_He was screaming and crying, mad with rage and grief. This was supposed to be his redemption, to win her back and apologize. She was supposed to be invincible, how could she do something as utterly ridiculous as die on him?_

_Arturia laughed weakly, "Have some dignity, Aldwin! I'm so glad you're here at the end of everything."_

_"I won't let you die!" Adwin insisted._

_Bedivere galloped back._

_"I have returned your sword to the Lady of the Lake, Your Majesty."_

_"Thank you. You should be proud of what you've done Bedivere. You've performed and order for your King."_

_"Bedivere," she said again._

_"Yes, Sire?"_

_"I'm afraid my slumber this time…will be a…very long one."_

_Arturia neither moved nor spoke._

_"Are you dreaming now, King Arthur? Are you still dreaming the same dream?" Bedivere asked._

_Aldwin's mind and heart broke; he raged and screamed, he wouldn't ever forgive him for this, not for an eternity. He would stop at nothing to make him pay for leaving him like this._

_Bedivere promptly shook him and told him to control himself, stating the madness of grief had overwhelmed him. He took the King's body to the abbey nearby, where the King's body was sent to the isle of Avalon._

_"Bedivere, you'll help me,_ won't _you? While you were away, King Arthur appointed me as his successor," the lie came easily to his lips. "My family has ruled Britannia for generations, we will carry on King Arthur's legacy with pride and honor."_

 _"I will not stay, Your Highness, I'll be_ traveling _to Glastonbury," Bedivere replied. "I serve no King but Arthur, so I shall spend the rest of my days in the service of God."_

_The Knight mounted his horse._

_"You can't leave; I need your help Bedivere!" Aldwin called desperately to him._

_"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but I will give you one final piece of advice. Be a good King, and lead the people well, then they will love you."_

_When Bedivere was gone, Aldwin began to laugh, even though his original plan had fallen apart, he could still salvage this, most if not all the original members of the Round Table were dead, and he could use that to his advantage, painting himself as a great and noble member of their company, after all, few of them were alive to contradict his stories. He'd let them be the heroes Britannia needed, but he would make himself an integral part of their story, and create a legacy for himself and his bloodline._

_She was going to pay for everything she'd done to him, it was too bad she wasn't alive so he could savor his own twisted form of revenge._

* * *

The Battle for Narita was over; Saber gave orders to the others to contact the remnants of the Japanese Liberation Front. They returned to the Einzbern Castle, newly rebuilt.

Diethard Reid came to a stop as he saw a small eclectic group of people waiting for them. They were an odd bunch, an old man, a cheerful young teenager, a young lady in a hood and a grizzled shady fellow with scars on his face.

The old man did not greet Zero or the reporter. Instead, he went straight to the King of Knights and bowed before her, bending his old knees and greeting her with polite formality.

"Greetings King Arthur, we of the Mages Association of the London Clocktower have come to welcome you home. We discerned your location after one of the men who captured you happened to confess at a bar while drunk in front of our Necromancer Kairi Shishigo. Unfortunately for that man, Kairi brought him to us and we made him spill his guts, quite literally."

"Please Master Mage, there's no need for you to strain yourself."

"Your Highness, I am old, but I'm not _that_ old," Rocco Bellfebram laughed.

"How is the Mages Association?"

"We are well, Your Highness, we are honored that you would ask about us," a man's voice spoke. Diethard Ried's mind was spinning. Magic and wizards, he couldn't make this stuff up!

He'd been recording everything on camera when it suddenly sparked with power and shattered.

"I'm sorry outsider, but magecraft is a strict secret, so we will not let you reveal us to the outside world!" the man snapped, stepping forward. He wore a cloak and his face was covered by a hood.

"Sorry, I've already posted the King's battle footage online. This magecraft of yours isn't going to be a secret anyway. And isn't it true that in King Arthur's time there were mages and wizards all over Britannia?"

"Yes, but we keep our craft a secret to preserve it, modern science has taken over, now all we seek is the Root, but that's something an outsider like you wouldn't understand."

Rocco Bellfebram bowed, "I present the Director of the Mages Association."

The man bowed to Arturia. "Permission to speak Your Highness."

"Do so freely, Director of the Association. You are the most powerful Mage in the Entire Association, and yet I'm still surprised you are here. I met you as a child when Merlin was my Teacher. I met you many times throughout my rule as King, it has been 1500 years since I have seen you and yet you are still here. You are not a human being, perhaps."

"I never told you I was a human," he said quietly. "I enjoy my studies and I know one day I will achieve every Mages dream. But that isn't nearly as important as letting this reporter show the world that magecraft exists, we should kill him."

"I cannot permit that, I need him, he is an important ally for me to communicate with the Britannians."

"I see," the Director replied.

"Shirou! Shirou! Prepare a feast for us and our guests!" Arturia called cheerfully.

"Yes, of course, Saber!" he called back. He left to prepare a feast.

"You let him speak so casually to you. His talents are average and he's entirely ordinary as a mage."

"He is still a dear friend, Director," she smiled.

"Thanks to your bungling reporter, the mages could very well break out in civil war."

"Darnic Prestone Yggdmillenia has left the Association and pledged himself to The Empire of Britannia."

"That is troubling," Rocco frowned.

"Wait, isn't he a harmless old man?" Kairi asked.

"No, he fused his soul with an infant's, giving him a form of immortality."

"What? Is he insane, using infant souls or otherwise, your original soul won't stay intact!" Kairi stated.

"I highly doubt he cares about his persona, still, something else is going on. There's a reason he joined the Britannians. I want to know what it is," Rocco frowned.

"Come Master Mages, eat with us and celebrate our victory!" Arturia called to them. They followed her, they would deal with their mages business later.

It had been far too long since the Mages had been honored by a King and they would serve her well enough. With her vast wealth they could use any money she gave to the Association to further their research, and that was a good outcome for them.

* * *

Chancellor Schneizel El Britannia stared in shock as the commander finished his report.

The entire army wiped out by one person?! It seemed impossible.

"And Princess Cornelia?" the Prince inquired.

"They say she was captured by the Black Knights," the messenger informed him.

"We don't negotiate with terrorists, but we will flush them out and gain her location from them!" Schneizel ordered.

"But my Lord, we don't even know where they are!"

"A fog came down and covered their escape," the officer replied nervously.

"What about the sub viceroy?"

"Also captured."

"Everything just went wrong today didn't it?" Prince Schneizel sighed. It was almost unnatural. This would be an embarrassment to the Empire if it were made public, but they would rescue the Princesses soon enough. There was no way they could not be found. Hiding them would be impossible.

"Your Highness, there is a man here to see you, he says he can offer you help regarding this rebellion," his assistant, Kanon Maldini told him.

The man bowed before the Chancellor, "I am Darnic Prestone Yggdmillenia, and I am a mage. I know you may find it hard to believe Your Highness, but what you're dealing with is Magecraft, and I can assist you in that endeavor. In exchange, I want funding for my research."

"I am interested, so tell me, who defeated Britannia's finest armies?" Prince Schneizel asked.

"The King of Knights, Arthur Pendragon," the Mage replied.

"That's impossible!" he gaped.

"The Emperor knew about her."

"Her?! That makes it even more interesting, I will have to look into this quietly…" he said to himself. "Father just has to use brute force for everything. I could have easily won her over to our side and saved us the trouble of her joining the Elevens against us."

"I accept your service, Mage, is there any way you can use your magic to subdue her?"

"No, she is immune to magic, however, Zero isn't immune, I can control him easily," Darnic told him.

"I will give you funding and you are free to do as you wish in my name, just be discreet."

"Of course, Your Highness, Mages are already a secretive sort. No one shall find out about my skills unless they're going to die."

Darnic bowed, "I thank you for your patronage Chancellor, I'll be leaving."

Darnic rose and left.

"Everything's become much more interesting, hasn't it, Kanon?" Prince Schneizl asked.

"Yes, indeed, but what are we going to do?" Kanon asked.

"Let's just see how this will play out, I want to see if Zero will make a move or not. Either way, I'll be the one winning this game. Meanwhile, discreetly look into how much Father knew about King Authur."

"It will be done, Your Highness!" Kanon bowed and left.

Schneizel was pleased, despite the loss, the Britannians had suffered, he'd now had a better grasp of the board and soon, he'd put King Arthur and Zero in check.

Deep in the forest outside the city of Fuyuki was the recently rebuilt Einzbern Castle. Illiyasvil Van Einzbern had lived there until her tragic death at the hands of Gilgamesh. Lancer had burnt it down during the war but Rin had rebuilt it as soon as the Mages Association had contacted her about Arturia's return to the world. Although she had wanted to rescue her friend and erstwhile Servant, they had told her the fortress was of a higher priority since Zero would be handling the rescue operation.

"Take them to the tower," Arturia told the Black Knights when they asked about what to do with Suzaku and Princess Euphemia.

After their feast, Saber found Lelouch.

"Let's go to the Tokyo Settlement, I've heard there is a nice restaurant and I want to have a private dinner with you."

"What is this a date?"

"No, not a date, I wish to converse with you without C.C. or the Black Knights present."

"But you ate all that food and drank a ridiculous amount of wine already!" Lelouch protested.

"I still have plenty of room for some more wine, you have no idea how much I can eat and drink," Saber laughed.

They headed to a bar with a private room. It was where Rivalz was a bartender, but she'd done all the ordering, showing a fake I.D. and buying drinks.  She had Lelouch sit somewhere wehre RIvalz couldn't see him.

Lelouch sat with Arturia as she sipped some wine, provided by Rivalz that she had bought from the bar where he worked.

"The victory we have achieved today will change this country's view of the Black Knights. I am glad you let me deal with the Britannians, if we had followed your plan, many civilians would have died needlessly."

Lelouch hadn't considered the civilians below the mountain. If the landslide had hit the buildings there would have been many civilian casualties.

"Yes, and I'm grateful you spared me that pain. I do believe in justice, and I have tried my best to avoid civilian deaths."

"Is this the truth or how you wish for the Black Knights to be perceived by the general public?" Arturia asked, curious, she took another sip of wine.

"It is the truth of how I feel, you might not approve of my methods, but I have my principals."

She smiled, "Then I have a reason to celebrate."

Saber glanced at him, putting a hand on his chest.

"I want to reward you for the kindness you have shown me, for rescuing me from your father and my torment."

"What do you mean by a reward?" Lelouch asked her.

"It's quite simple in the end, tell me what you want," Saber looked to him.

"I can ask you for anything Saber, anything at all?" Lelouch laughed, he ran his fingers through his hair.

Saber sipped the wine, "Yes."

"I ask you, what do you want?" Saber asked.

Lelouch glanced at her, "I don't understand. What do you mean? This is just a metaphorical conversation; you can't give me what I want."

"I am demonstrating to you my power as the King," Arturia gestured between the two of them.

 _This game of yours is amusing, Saber,_ Lelouch wondered what this demonstration might be.

"I still don't understand," Lelouch was confused.

"I am offering you anything," Arturia told him, "Ask and it is yours. A glass of water, it's yours. A bag full of gold, yours. Look out the window behind me, Lelouch. Pick something and it's yours."

"Is this some kind of joke?" the Prince was incredulous.

"The time for jokes has passed, Lelouch, I have never been more serious."

He gazed into her eyes, their emerald green points burned like fire. "Pick something. Anything."

She was completely serious, but how was this a demonstration of her power when she had no land or wealth in this era?

Lelouch humored her, "All right, a bag of gold then."

"Done," she smiled at him. "But that is not nearly enough of a reward, ask me for something else."

Lelouch laughed, looking at an expensive motorcycle that sped through the street.

"How about a custom motorcycle, fueled by Sakuradite?" he gestured to it.

"Done," she replied.

"Are you serious? You know how much one of those things costs? You could practically outfit a Knightmare frame!"

_This is merely a game between us, despite her immense skill on the battlefield, the wealth and power of the Arthurian legends are gone, no one has ever seen Camelot!_

"Would you prefer a Knightmare frame?" Arturia gestured back to him.

Lelouch stilled, he smiled, pointing to a distant building; he decided to be more ambitious. "How about the Viceroy's Palace?"

"Just the Palace?" she prodded him.

Lelouch stared down at the twin gleams of her emerald green eyes in the darkness.

"The entire district," he grinned devilishly at her.

Arturia did not so much as blink, "Done."

"It's privately owned by the royal family," he informed her.

"Not anymore."

"You can't just—" Lelouch protested, she was exaggerating what she could do for him.

"Yes I can," she stated simply. "It's yours. Is there anything else? Name it!"

Lelouch looked up at the starry sky. He reached out as if he could grasp what he desired in his hand.

"All right," Lelouch said softly, "Britannia, I'll take Britannia."

"The Homeland or the whole Empire?"

Lelouch stared.

"Lelouch?"

The Prince was deep in thought, just how far could he push these requests?

"I just—I'm unsure if you've gone mad. You can give me that?" he laughed.

"I _am_ the rightful King of Britain," she reminded him.

Inwardly, he laughed, _Upping the stakes, eh? This game of yours is amusing._

He sighed, tossing his helmet up into the air, catching it, "Why are we having this conversation?"

"I am trying to impress upon you a fundamental truth of our relationship. You can have the Empire if you want it."

Lelouch eyed her with interest, "And if I wanted your body, to have you for myself?"

"Then I would be yours, it is simple enough, what I feel for you only makes it a more pleasurable experience for me, but you have greater ambitions than bedding me," Saber smiled knowingly.

Lelouch looked her up and down; _Noblewomen always use their wits and their beauty to their advantage. The table isn't the only place one can negotiate._

"You don't love me, you love a ghost, and he's been dead for 1,500 years."

"Who says I loved him?" Arturia replied, her eyes were steady.

"If you didn't love him, you wouldn't talk about him so much."

"He loved you, that much is obvious, he chronicled his obsession in lurid detail. Or shall I tell you about all his fantasies?"

Lelouch waved a book of Aldwin X's memoirs at her

"He always was a lech, but enough about him, let's talk about you," Arturia held his gaze. "Do you understand why I'm asking you these questions?"

His mind realized just what she was saying to him. It seemed outrageous.

"Do you understand now? I will give you anything you want."

"Yes, but I never said I wanted you for your body," Lelouch glanced at her. "I want you for your service."

"I pledged my service to you, Your Highness, for the wisdom you have shown today allowing me to lead your troops in battle. You are finally worthy of it. What else do you want?"

"What if I want the whole empire, every last bit of land?"

"Then it would be yours," she stated simply. "You have already decided to take the Empire for yourself, that is the end goal isn't it?"

"Yes, that is what I want,"Lelouch stated.

"Then it's yours," she told him.

"Like you can give me that!" he laughed.

"You'll see, Your Highness, you'll see," she smiled. They finished their drinks and departed.

* * *

"Merlin," Arturia bowed to her mentor, teacher, and creator.

"What is it, Arturia?" he asked.

"Give me my wealth, it still remains in Camelot, give to me, for it is mine!" Arturia clenched her fist.

"Of course, where do you wish me to send it?"

"The rebuilt Einzbern castle, it is where I make my headquarters," Saber turned to him.

The transparent figure bowed, "As you wish, Your Majesty."

Arturia headed back into the rebuilt Einzbern castle. She headed to the treasure room. She opened the door and smiled. From floor to ceiling lay her wealth in gold, silver and jewels. It was worth far more than what it had been in her lifetime. With this money she would crush Britannia.

But first things first, to win over the man who initially scoffed at her legend. She owed him much, but this was nothing to her, she smiled.

Kings often flaunted their wealth and power and superiority to others, this was merely a show of superiority to the House of Britannia, who took from others instead of giving to those that deserved generosity.

Was he not a man worthy of her generosity? He had rescued her not knowing her identity, had given her food and shelter. She owed him so much, and he had finally proven himself worthy of her service.

She reached out and took a very large bag of gold. She headed for a Britannian currency exchange.

After that business was taken care of, she went and found a shop that built custom motorcycles.

The Britannian was covered in dirt and grease as he looked up, hearing his door open.

In walked what appeared to be a handsome young man with long blonde hair in an exquisite custom made French suit. Saber smiled at him.

"Yes, what is it my lord?" the man asked, he could tell the man that stood before him was a rich noble.

"Can you make me any custom motorcycle I wish?" Arturia asked him.

"I can make whatever you want, my lord," he replied.

"Make me a Yamaha VMax, custom chassis and an engine fueled by Sakuradite," Saber told him.

"Out of the question, that's an Eleven bike, I can't risk being accused of treason," he protested. "It'd cost a fortune to even get the parts, and what about the Sakuradite? It may run many machines but it's not cheap. It'd take more money than I've ever seen to make—"

Saber handed him a suitcase, he opened it and gaped in shock. "Consider it done, my lord!"

"I shall come for it once it's ready," she turned and left.

Satisfied with her work, she decided to stop at a restaurant for lunch.

Entering, she was led to a room and offered a seat. The waiter gave her a menu.

Arturia looked up and saw a woman enter the room, she wore a fine dress and had the air of royalty. If only she hadn't had "that look" the look that said, "I need to be slapped". Arturia restrained herself from scowling.

"Didn't I tell you I had reserved this entire room for me and my entourage?!" a voice boomed out.

Arturia was dumbstruck for a second, the voice sounded eerily like her own.

"First Princess Guinevere, please understand, this gentleman has already paid for this room—" the waiter protested.

Arturia was surprised to hear that name again. But this woman wasn't _her_ , and she had to remember that. She was one of Lelouch's half-siblings.

"I don't care, throw him out!" Guinevere De Britannia screamed.

"I beg your pardon, Your Highness," Arturia stood and bowed formally. She deepened her voice and changed her posture. She kissed the Princesses hand as the custom for greeting royalty.

The First Princess blushed, she had expected common rabble, not someone who was clearly of noble standing, but then again, to pay for that room, it would cost a fortune!

"Since I have inconvenienced you, might you join me? I have been away from this country for a very long time and I wish to learn more about the political state of the royal family and this country."

Arturia was the panicle of politeness and grace, assuming the diplomatic tone she had always used when she interacted with nobility.

"What is your name sir?" Guinevere asked politely.

"Sir Kay Oakley of Cornwall," Arturia replied, taking the name of her foster brother and the surname of her nephew Gawain.

"I am First Princess Guinevere De Britannia at your service," the Princess bowed formally.

"Named for the Queen Consort of King Arthur?" Arturia asked out of curiosity.

"Why yes, it is because they say I resemble her beauty," Guinevere replied haughtily.

 _You're not nearly that beautiful, not even by half,_ Guinevere would be rolling in her grave right now.

"I am sure that you are flattered by such compliments," Arturia ushered her to a seat, pulling it out for her.

"The compliment becomes bothersome when everyone says it," Guinevere scowled.

Guinevere didn't even bother to thank her for the polite gesture.

 _Another Britannian jackass,_ Arturia mentally rolled her eyes.

A great feast was set out and they began to eat. Arturia wished the company was as pleasant as the food, but it wasn't.

"Do tell me, what do you wish to know about this backwater country?" Princess Guinevere asked her.

"Oh, I do not refer to Area 11; I refer to the Homeland and the royal family."

"My father has brought the Holy Britannian Empire into a golden age of prosperity and conquest. It is through struggle and completion that Britannia has crushed their enemies, why just a few months ago my sister Princess Cornelia, the Goddess of Victory established Area 18 in Africa."

"I see," Arturia replied.

"We tried to negotiate with Area 11, even sending our siblings here as a token of good will, tools of diplomacy."

"Your half-siblings were sent here as hostages you say?" Arturia queried.

"Don't say hostages, it's such an ugly word, they were tools of diplomacy," Guinevere replied dismissively, waving her hand. "It served Lelouch right, pestering our father with his childish nonsense about Nunnally."

 _It's not as ugly as your face though,_ Arturia mentally sneered.

"What became of them after the invasion of Japan?" the King of Knights continued to pry.

"They're dead, killed by the Eleven savages!" Guinevere snarled.

"Ah, I see. While I am sure it is quite impossible for a knight such as myself to obtain an audience with His Excellency the Emperor, might there be a way for me to establish myself with Viceroy Cornelia?"

"She's obsessed with bringing this Area to heel so she has no time to meet anyone," Guinevere replied.

"I see, I shall seek my fortunes elsewhere," the King of Knights gave her "wife's" namesake a smile that put the Princess at ease.

Just then the door opened.

"Prince Schneizel what are you doing here?" Guinevere asked in surprise.

"I came to see you, am I interrupting something?" the Chancellor of the Holy Britannian Empire asked.

"No, not at all," Guinevere gestured to Arturia.

"Sir Kay, this is my brother, Prince Schneizel El Britannia, the Chancellor of the Holy Britannian Empire," Guinevere gestured to him.

Arturia bowed and kissed his hand, "How lucky I am that I should meet you both here by chance."

"Please my lord, we are honored to meet you," Schneizel replied, smiling.

"She tells me she is from the original homeland."

"Fascinating. What brings you here to Area 11?" Schneizel asked.

"Personal business, nothing more. I had hoped to establish myself with the royal family, but it seems I am unable to unless I were of high rank and status. It seems I shall have to achieve that through military endeavors."

Arturia rose to her feet. "I thank you for the pleasure of your company, Your Excellencies. I must be going."

She called to the waiter, "This feast is on me!"

The Prince and Princess were surprised; this was an extravagant meal, as Guinevere loved to spend her wealth on statues, monuments and fine meals for herself.

They watched as Arturia paid for the meal and prepared to leave.

"My Lord, Sir Kay?" Guinevere called to her.

"Yes, Your Highness, what is it?"

"I wish to entertain you again, at the Viceroy's palace."

"Surely Your Highness, I am not worthy of your attention," Saber smiled.

"It is not wise to refuse me," Guinevere warned.

"You can't always get what you want Your Highness," Arturia told her. "I take my leave now."

Arturia left and Guinevere clenched her fist. "How dare he refuse me!"

"There's something different about that one," Schneizel observed. "You seem smitten Guinevere."

"Hardly, a man that young and pure, heh, those are the sort I want as their first time," the Princess smirked.

"Like you'd sleep with a common knight, sister," Schneizel laughed.

"Father took that commoner as his consort, it would only make me look better in the eyes on the common rabble, and with a man that handsome, he would be incredible in bed!"

Outside the door, Arturia sighed. This disguise worked well, _too_ well. She had always been able to pass herself off as a man, but when she was King she had been "married" so the women stayed away from her. Being single in this era complicated matters.

It didn't matter though, it's not like Guinevere would take the time to find her. Arturia hadn't given her any way of contacting her. She'd move on and find some other man for a dalliance. She was most certainly a hedonist, unlike her namesake.

Arturia wondered if she "swung both ways" like Islander did. It wouldn't be a stretch. Guinevere had seemed quite interested in her; she'd noticed the woman leering at her out of the corner of her eye.

_Is it a trait of this entire family to have the horn for me?! By my faith, it's a curse!_

She turned and left, her business was done here. She had planned that little interaction with them, and it'd been easy enough to rent that room, but she'd specifically seen that it had been reserved for the Princess. Her plan had worked perfectly; she'd been able to learn more about the Royal family. She would put that information to good use to crush them.

She returned to the Castle, having received word that her custom motorcycle would be finished in a few weeks, she made the preparations. She would exceed his expectations, and make it quite clear to him that she could keep her promises. Every. Single. One.

Saber approached Lelouch, "I have something for you." She tossed him a small leather bag.

"What's this?"

"You'll see, Your Highness, I must attend to other business. I do have to manage to prisoners here." She turned and left.

Lelouch was alone. It was a large bag, but it couldn't be possible that she would actually keep her promises to him. It'd be ridiculous, he'd asked her for the impossible.

Lelouch trembled with excitement; _I shouldn't get my hopes up._

He opened it and peered inside.

Lelouch began to laugh. She had kept her promise; inside the bag were gold coins worth a fortune, a key, and a picture. A key to a custom motorcycle, powered by Sakuradite.

_My adorable King of Knights, I was wrong to underestimate you. Will you give me whatever I ask? The whole of the Empire, I asked you for it, and you said it would be mine._


	8. Aldwin's Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lelouch and Arturia's relationship deepens as he discovers more about his ancestor, Aldwin Vi Britannia. Arturia is concerned about his abnormal behavior.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I checked the age of consent in the UK, it's 16, and since Code Geass is AU UK in America, I"m sticking with it being 16.

_On a cloudy, dreary day in the Realm of Logres, a woman arrived at the castle of Camelot with a chest._

The chaplain began to read the letter:

_“These letters say that the Knight whose head lies in this vessel is none other than Loholt and that he was the son of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere._

_He had slain in a day that has passed, the giant Logrin, by his boldness.  Lord Aldwin Vi Britannia was passing by there and found him asleep atop of Logrin as was his custom after battle to sleep on top of his enemy._

_Lord Aldwin Vi Britannia smote off Loholt’s head, so his head left his body on that piece of ground.  Then he took the giant’s head and bore it to King Arthur’s court. He made all the Kings, Queens and barons understand that he had slain the giant, but he had not, instead he had slain Loholt, according to the writing of the King’s letters."_

_“Jenny…” Arturia said gently, placing her hand on the Queen's shoulder._

_"It cannot be true!  Not our son!" Guinevere opened the box that had been given to them by the woman who brought the chest to them._

_She cried out, "The scar!  The scar on his face from when he was a child! My son! My son!"_

_The Queen fainted.  Arturia managed to catch her._

_“You shouldn’t have banished him, you should have killed him!” Mordred roared, as much as she disliked her legitimate siblings, what that man had done was utterly disgusting.  Men of House Britannia were little better than dogs._

_“Yes, we had not known what he had done when you had prepared that feast to honor him for his great deed; he beat one of the guests and disgraced himself even further!” Lancelot added._

_“How do we know the letters are true?  What proof do we have that it was Aldwin’s doing?” the King asked the Chaplin._

_“The lady who brought the chest says that only his murderer can open it.”_

_“Then pass it around the Table. It shall judge each of us, just to be sure,” the King ordered._

_They passed the chest around the table, not even Mordred was able to open it._

_It was true; Aldwin X had murdered the King’s son.  Arturia steeled herself for what she had to do, kill someone she loved.  Arturia was worried for Guinevere, she stopped eating.  She refused to leave her chambers.  They could constantly hear her crying all day and all night._

_The King took Lancelot aside.  "You have to help her, Lance, she'll die of grief. First, we lost Gwydre, then Amhar and now Loholt.  All I have left is Leicheu and Durand..."_

_"We did not lose Amhar, you and I both know you killed him,” Lancelot reminded her._

_"Yes, I slew him; he went mad and tried to violate me, so I killed him."_

_"You will never tell her will you?" Lancelot asked.”How did he know that you are a woman?”_

_“He said Morgan showed him proof, I don’t know how.  It matters not.  He is dead.  We all have our secrets, Lance, you of_ all _people know that," Arturia sighed._

_The door opened. A Messenger arrived._

_"My King, Aldwin Vi Britannia has been sighted near Cornwall, he is leading a vast army!"_

_"Now I will have justice for my son, Loholt.  Gather the men, we leave at dawn!"_

_Arturia could not grieve as a parent, she was King, and she must behave as a King should. She had a war to fight, and she couldn't let her emotions get in the way of what she had to do: Kill Aldwin Vi Britannia._

* * *

 

Lelouch sighed in frustration.  He was a decent singer, but not even he could come up with a tune to fit the lyrics from the book.

Shirley and Rivalz came up with something pleasant sounding, but at least this would be a group effort for their grade.

“This would be so much easier if we had something to go on,” Rivalz sighed.  “I wish Suzaku were here, he’d come up with something cool, but ever since he disappeared, we don’t know where he is.”

“I’m sure he’ll be fine, he’ll be back soon,” Lelouch reassured him.

Arturia hadn’t decided what she would do with him since the Britannians didn’t seem the least bit interested in rescuing him, she knew they’d been trying to find Princess Euphemia and Princess Cornelia, but they still hadn’t been able to find them.

They met in a park near Ashford, Nunnally was accompanying them.

“Guys do you hear something?” Shirley Fennette asked.  The rest of the student council stopped what they were doing.  Hanging out in the park doing homework together was no one’s idea of a fun time, but Lelouch couldn’t let his grades slip due to his activities with the Black Knights so he had to finish this homework assignment with them, lest Rivalz and Shirley become suspicious, so he suggested it so they could get the assignment over with.

Lelouch stilled for a moment.  Unlike his friends, he recognized Arturia’s voice.  He was surprised she could sing and it was a pleasant sound.  Then he realized she was singing the lyrics of their school assignment!

 _Iseult of the emerald isle,  
Still I seek you, mile on mile  
Through the wide world following Love – a white bird on the wing. Iseult, though the world wax old,  
Never shall our love grow cold: Still while youth and Spring are sure  
__Lives our love and shall endure._  
_Iseult, in the after-time_  
_Poets still shall fit their rhyme,_  
_Tell of love beyond compare:_  
_Tristan and Iseult the Fair_

The group followed her voice as they found Arturia sitting by herself beneath a tree. They listened to her singing as they remained silent.

Shirley and Milly looked at each other.  Nina seemed dumbfounded.  Rivalz watched her with interest as she was a beautiful woman.

“Prez, are you okay?  You’re crying!” Rivalz asked, concerned.

“I’m fine, Rivalz, I’m fine. Just haven’t heard anything that beautiful in a while.”  Milly Ashford wiped her eyes.

Shirley nodded an agreement and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief.

“Do you mind if we steal that for our school assignment?” Rivalz blatantly asked.

“It’s not my song or my tune to claim,” Arturia laughed.  “I never could tell if he was awake or asleep.  His mind was always somewhere else.  Thinking about _her_ I suppose.”

Lelouch realized just who she was talking about and hoped it would go over their heads.  It did and they smiled politely.

“My name is Elise Watoson.  I have been away from Britannia for a very long time and have recently returned to the country.  I was in Gweynned for a time.  I am an acquaintance of Lelouch’s mother.”

“Where’s that?” Rivalz asked, curious.

In the country of Wales, or it would have been the country of Wales,” Arturia told him.

“So you’re from the old homeland then?” Shirley noted.

“You could say that.”

“We hope you enjoy your time here,” Shirley smiled.

“I’m sure I will,” Arturia smiled.

“Isn’t the original homeland where all the stories of King Arthur take place?  Like Lancelot and Guinevere?” Nina asked.

“Gwenhwyvar,” Arturia corrected gently.  “In Welsh, she was called Gwenhwyvar, but the court called her Guinevere because it suited them.  But to the King, she was always Jenny.”

“That’s really sweet,” Nina added, “It’s too bad it all fell apart.”

“Yes, it is,” Elise Watoson replied.

Arturia took out a book and began to read, “As long as she remained in his sight most attentively and with delight, but when he could see her no longer, he wanted to fling himself out of the window and shatter his body on the ground below.”

Arturia laughed, “He wasn’t that incapacitated by his love for her, he still had to fight after all.”

The students laughed.

“I think we all better head home,” Milly said. 

“I should go home and take care of Nunnally,” Lelouch began to get up.

“Don’t worry, Lelouch, Miss Sayoko will take good care of me.  It seems like you wanted to stay a little longer.”

“You could tell?” he asked, he hadn’t motioned anything.

“I know you better than anyone else,” Nunnally told him.

“Thanks, you’re an angel, Nunnally,” Lelouch smiled.

Lelouch found her later after everyone had left.

“Would you care to join me for a game of chess?” Arturia asked.

“Of course,” he smiled, sitting beside her.

He noticed there was an extra piece on the board.  It was a gold cup.

“I have never seen that piece before,” Lelouch extra piece.

“it is a replica of the Holy Grail that Mages fought for in Fuyuki.  In this game, one does not check the King, you must check the Grail,” Arturia explained.  “The pieces still move the same way in regular chess.”

“I see,” Lelouch noted.  They began to play.  He observed her as she played.

He found his mind wandering to how beautiful she was and that it was a shame she’d never been able to live as a woman in her own time.  He had taken to reading Aldwin’s memoirs again, he found them to be a valuable resource when it came to understanding her, but he wondered if his ancestor’s words were merely his ideal of what he thought she was.

The variation of the game kept his interest.  He was pleased by it and he watched her moves keenly.  She was always observant of her pieces and she was an aggressive player, always going for the Grail.

He thought he would have an easier time playing against her, but they were evenly matched.

They battled each other on the board for several minutes, but she won, checking the Grail.

“Tell me, was there anything you ever wanted for yourself, when you were younger?” Lelouch asked, curious.

“Yes, in my daydreams, even after I knew what I would have to do before I pulled Caliburn from the Stone, I had…to be perfectly honest, I once had deep and passionate feelings for a certain enchanting man.  I had dreams of a long and happy life that involved this man, however painful.  In the end those feelings of passion amounted to absolutely nothing.  In short, all those dreams were only dreams.  And in the place where those dreams lived, stands the woman I have become today.”

“I see, but you don’t have to be that way anymore, you can live for yourself now.”

“Infidelity, adultery, dalliances in the dead of night, that was Aldwin Vi Britannia’s reputation at Camelot,” Arturia smiled sadly.  “He always let his eyes wander to what caught his eye, even his wife knew that he was never going to stop, she tolerated it because she enjoyed his prestige as personal friend to King Arthur.  Enough about him, let us speak of other things.”

Arturia changed the subject.

“You’ve done well for your first try at this version of the game.  You almost had me,” she smiled.

Her face showed surprise as Lelouch smirked.

“I thought I already had you,” he kept smirking.

“What do you mean by that?” Arturia asked.

Lelouch leaned in closer to her, “You stay in my house, you lead The Black Knights, you have sworn an oath to me.  In a way, I do have you.”

“You’re so arrogant, you frustrate me to no end you—”

Lelouch leaned in and kissed her.  His lips brushed hers, he had wanted to kiss her since they’d started their game, he tasted her lips and felt the warmth of her breath.

“Your Highness…” she murmured softly.

“Is something wrong?” he asked, gently pulling away.

“Ever does House Britannia steal from me,” Arturia murmured.

“I’ve overstepped, forgive me, Your Highness,” he whispered gently.

He got up and left.  She stared at him.

“It troubles me,” Arturia said to herself after he was out of earshot, “that all I want is for him to kiss me again.  What came over him I wonder?  Is he teasing me?  I do not know.”

* * *

The next Monday, Lelouch sat in the Student Council Room.  Milly looked at him, “Lelouch, you know the Ball is coming up soon right?  You still need to get your dress.”

“Oh,” Lelouch’s voice went silent.  “Oh, no, not again!”

His wail could be heard throughout the school.

It was time for the Crossdressers Ball and that meant he was going to be trapped in a dress, again! 

“So what are we going to make him wear?” Shirley asked Milly.

“Oh, Milly, someone already provided Lelouch with a dress,” Nina Einstein told her.

“Huh?” Shirley was surprised.  “When?”

“Elise Watoson volunteered to give Lelouch a dress and said that Lelouch owed her something, she said she heard about the Crossdressers Ball and bought him a custom dress.”

Rivalz Cadermonde started laughing. “Just what do you owe this girl?  Did you lose to her in gambling?”

“You could say that,” Lelouch gritted his teeth. Oh, he was going to make her pay for this, one way or another.

That night they arrived at the Student Council room that had been set up or the Crossdressers Ball.

The Student Council had met up when Lelouch heard a familiar voice call his name.

Rivalz, Shirley, Milly, and Nina all turned to stare at the figure who had called Lelouch’s name.  The young Prince found himself staring at Arturia Pendragon in surprise and awe.

Since this was the Crossdressers Ball, all the men were wearing the dresses and the women were wearing men’s clothing. 

She stood before them dressed in fine woolen clothes, colored blue and white, her trousers were blue but her shirt was white with designs made of real gold thread. 

Her hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail.  But she’d never looked more beautiful to him.  Lelouch couldn’t help but be stunned.

Now Lelouch understood why she could pass herself off as a man.  She looked every bit the part of a long-haired teenage boy!  When he had asked how old she was, she claimed she was 35, although the revelation left Lelouch’s jaw hanging open, he could see that she most certainly behaved much older than she looked.

Most of the time, Lelouch thought that the male students would leer at her for cross-dressing as a man, but there was a purity in her face and looks that Lelouch noted that had a profound effect on all the men in dresses there in the room with them.

“Miss Watoson, what a surprise!” Lelouch exclaimed; he hadn’t expected her to actually show up, although this was one of the few events where they were allowed to bring a dance partner that didn’t attend Ashford Academy.

The music began to play.  She offered her hand to him and they began to dance. 

“Do you like what you’re wearing?” Arturia asked him.

“It’s a nice dress,” Lelouch admitted.

“Splendid.  It’s a taller version of my own dress that you’ve seen me wear,” she smiled.  “It suits you well, much to my amusement.”                                              

He could see her bemused expression slipping into a smirk.  She whispered into his ear. 

“This is for all the time’s you have antagonized me,” she smirked.

“I’m sure I’m going to pay for it somehow and it has nothing to do with me wearing this dress.”

“You will, Your Highness, you will.”

They danced together as the music continued to play.

“And just how am I going to pay?”

“With your body,” she told him, amused.

“What do you mean by that?” Lelouch asked, surprised.

“You’re a man, I’m sure you can imagine.”

Lelouch blushed.  Arturia laughed in amusement.

She danced with a few others, she chose Rivalz, he blushed for reasons unknown to the young student. 

Arturia smiled, “Do not fret, Rivalz Cardemonde, you’ll catch her eye one day.”

“Believe me, lad, I know the look of a man in love, and you are quite smitten,” she put a hand on his shoulder.  “She enjoys teasing our mutual friend too much when it comes to women.”

The dance ended and they headed home.  She had enjoyed herself, and she had noted with interest how Lelouch rarely took his eyes of hers, even when he danced with the other girls in school.

They headed home, the night was over, Lelouch wondered just how she was going to make him pay for how he’d treated her.

* * *

 “The heavens tell of God’s glory; the skies proclaim His handiwork.  Speech is poured forth during the day and knowledge during the night.”

“Isn’t that the prayer of the French Saint Jeanne D’Arc?” Lelouch asked, curious.

“It is the 19th Psalm of King David, it is also been said to be the prayer of the Holy Maiden Jeanne,” Saber replied.  “How strange that you should bring up Jeanne D’Arc, I have often been mistaken for her.  I have been told I am like her in appearance.  I never fought her in any of the Holy Grail Wars that I participated in.”

“How interesting.  The history books say she was an evil witch that murdered innocent children.”

“Your history book lies, although I never fought her, I did wage war against one of her companions, a Caster class Servant.  As mad as he was, he never once spoke ill of Jeanne D’Arc, he worshipped her as a saint that much I do know.  As we are both Catholic, there are some things I understand about the Holy Maiden Jeanne D’Arc.

Saber got up from her kneeling position, ending her prayer.

Saber looked at Lelouch, “It has been six months since you rescued me from that prison cell and all I have done for you is not nearly enough.  I have not nearly begun to repay my debt to you.”

“What do you mean?” Lelouch asked.

“You will see soon enough, go sit down on the chair, I will return shortly.”

Lelouch saw her return with a basin filled with water and a washcloth.  She approached him, knelt down and took off his shoes.

Lelouch wanted to protest, what she was doing to him made him feel uncomfortable. 

“Arturia, you don’t have to—” Lelouch objected adamantly.

“Is it so humiliating for me to wash your feet?” she asked gently.

He found her in prayer once again, though God was not high on his priority list, the elegance of her words drew his attention.

“I don’t have the humility of Christ to wash someone else’s feet.  This isn’t something you have to do for me,” Lelouch protested.

“You are not a believer so it does surprise me you know such things,” Saber smiled.

“My friend Shirley Fennette is a Protestant.  I hear her talk about church or sermons once in a while so I remember things.”

She washed his feet and said very little to him.

“Have you seen what the news has said about us now that you have shown the Britannians who you are?”

“Remember that no servant is greater than his master,” Arturia looked at him.  “If the world hates you…remember that it hated me first.”

“So you have said, they say He’s a myth and doesn’t exist.”

“All myths exist in this world, why else do you think they retain their power even after they are nothing more than words in your history books, or words sacred holy texts, it is the way of the world that science has made people of your era forget.”

“Yes, you are a myth that still stays with us to this day.  But you have been lying to me, saying you’ve abandoned your ideals, making you a hypocrite, a King cannot be selfless, and they always have some motive that gives them self satisfaction.  You say you’ve abandoned your ideals, but you clearly haven’t, that much I can tell, or you wouldn’t have shown mercy to Orange Boy, you would have killed him on the spot.”

“What makes you think that I’ve been lying?” Arturia asked, curious.

 “You follow the ideal of a humble King who always serves others.  You are hardly Jesus that you can truly be such a thing,” Lelouch told her in a stern voice.

“So you say, but this is something I wanted to do for you.”

“They say King Arthur is a Messianic figure who will save Britannia.  You honestly think you can do all that?”

“It has been my entire reason for living. But even I know this Britannia cannot be saved and must be destroyed.”

Her humility was not a false air she put on to make herself look good.  This was not boasting, this was her strange and unconventional way of showing her gratitude to him for rescuing her.

Lelouch couldn’t help but be moved by what she’d done for him. She was truly different from anyone he’d ever known, still, she did irritate him sometimes, but he graciously accepted her gratitude.

She dried his feet and left him.  There was a look of resignation on her face.  Lelouch was rather dumbfounded, for all his intelligence, religious symbolism and metaphors weren’t something he had particularly studied.

He began to research the meaning of what she’d done to him, besides the typical essays on Christ’s humility and talk of servant leadership, there was another thing he noticed.

Some writings brought up that washing the disciples’ feet were symbolic of the love Christ had for his disciples.

Lelouch realized that this was her way of telling him she loved him when she couldn’t bring herself to say the words aloud.  He had noted the expression on her face as she left.  It seemed to be resignation.

He was going to find out whether his hunch about her feelings for him was true, and then he would decide what he would do about it.

* * *

 “Is something bothering you, King of Knights?” Lelouch asked.

“How long must I endure you?” Arturia asked irritation in her voice. “You always find ways to insult me. I am merely a tool to you.”

“I am not mocking you,” Lelouch’s voice was calm and amicable.  “I’m being perfectly reasonable.”

“Well, here’s a thing, I look before me and all I see is an ass weasel!” Arturia growled at him.

“And yet you have gone to great lengths to thank this ass weasel,” Lelouch grinned, gesturing to himself.

Arturia moved quickly and grabbed Lelouch by his shirt; she pressed him against the wall.

“Your arrogance sickens me, and yet I cannot bear to be away from you!”

“Have you never been teased before, Your Highness, I do find you amusing and adorable,” Lelouch smiled.

“Is that all I am to you? An amusement?” Saber snapped at him.

“No, but you always feel you have to give and give to others.  You yourself said you’d give me the whole of Britannia.  I want you to actually take something for yourself.  You act like you aren’t a human being.”

“Tell me, Lelouch, what you expect me to take for myself?  What could I possibly want?” Saber asked, sarcasm filling her voice.

“No one gives you what you want!  Don’t get what you don’t earn!  Can’t have what you need; only what you deserve!” Lelouch told her in a deep voice, his face was dangerously close to hers.

“Tell me Your Highness what do I deserve?” Arturia asked.

“I’ll show you…” He replied.

Lelouch pulled Arturia Pendragon close and kissed her, gently stroking her cheek with his palm. 

Saber was quite stunned.  She had been steeling herself for a vigorous and enthusiastic argument, but he continued to surprise her. 

Her body trembled against his; she was still unaccustomed to intimate affection from men that knew her true gender.  She had known a level of intimacy with Aldwin X that she had not had with many men, but Aldwin had often coaxed her with his touch and kisses, but Lelouch didn’t try to coax her for any further intimacy than the kiss.

“Your Highness…Arturia, it’s all right…it’s all right…” Lelouch murmured in her ear.  He held her for a long moment, not letting her go, "if she does not heal my suffering with a kiss, she will murder me and damn herself.  Yet for all the suffering I endure, I do not renounce sweet love.”

“I know such words, for he said them to her, do you wish for me to suffer as she did as well?  Then I will endure your suffering, and you will live, for my sake!  Lelouch, please know that I love you!” She clutched at him, pulling him close, kissing him with a desperation that surprised her.

Arturia’s mind spun, she had heard these words before, 1,500 years ago, and staring up at Lelouch she saw the face of the man she had loved once.  The first and only man she had ever truly loved.

 _“Why must I love you so much?  An arrogant ass weasel as yourself.  You sweet little fool,”_ she whispered in his ear in her native tongue, Cornish-Breton.  She could speak both Cornish and Breton and Anglo-Saxon.  She spoke French as well because of Lancelot.

“Huh?” Lelouch was bewildered, she spoke to him in a language he had never heard, but it was still beautiful.

“I forget myself; you are not Aldwin that you can speak my native tongue.  He always disliked speaking to me in my own tongue.  He preferred to speak to me in his native tongue of Anglo-Saxon.”

“Will you teach me some time,” he asked.

“Yes, that would please me very much,” she smiled at him.

 “Good night, Lelouch,” she said softly.  Arturia turned and left him alone.

Lelouch knew it, but he was unsure of just when he knew the truth: He had fallen in love with Arturia Pendragon, the King of Knights.  It was in that moment, he had unwittingly doomed himself to the curse of his bloodline placed by Merlin long ago.

* * *

 The next day, the Student Council was gathered around one of their screens on their phones.

“What is it?” Lelouch asked, curious.

“Archeologists in the Republic of Britain have discovered a tomb.  One they say proves that that Britannia has no right to claim their bloodline is tied to King Arthur’s,” Rivalz explained.  "There had originally been a special on the Royal Family but this just interrupted it."

“How come the Britannian government hasn’t shut down the broadcast?” Shirley asked.  “You’d think they’d try to stop them from saying stuff like that.”

“They’ve been trying, it just keeps on playing,” Rivalz laughed.

Lelouch smiled, _It must be Diethard’s doing, ever since Arturia revealed herself, he’s been begging her for a private sit down interview.  She’s never answered him regarding it though._

One of Britannia’s foremost Arthurian scholars laughed.   “The King of Knights had no sons.  The Queen was barren.  That is an undisputed fact.  You lost the right to call yourselves Britannians the moment Napoleon turned you all into democratic French toadies!”

“We here are true Britons, it is your people who are the imposters!  Here!” he pointed to the stone.  “Here is the proof of Arthur’s true heirs!”

 _“Here lies Loholt, son of Arthur, slain by an unknown assassin.”_ The scholar said.  “It proves not only did the King of Knights have a legitimate heir, not an appointed successor as Britannia’s Royal Jackass claims, but also that someone murdered him.  That’s why I have come on television today.  I was once a royal historian for the Britannian Royal Family.  I found torn pages from Aldwin Vi Britannia’s memoirs where he confessed to slaying King Arthur’s son and heir!”

“Whoa, but can they prove it?” Rivalz asked.  “That’s a big deal right?”

“Yes, but the Royal Family can just say that they made it up and faked the pages,” Shirley noted.

“But there is a way to prove it,” the archeologist said.  “We have exhumed Aldwin’s body because there is a story regarding the death of Loholt.  That a woman brought the severed head of the King’s son back to Camelot in a chest and after Guinevere confirmed that it was her son, the box was shut, and that only his murderer could open that box.  It was passed around the entirety of the Round Table, and not even the Treacherous Knight Mordred was able to open it.”

The archeologist sighed, “If the story is true and Aldwin Vi Britannia did indeed murder Loholt Pendragon, then his hand should open this box, and if he didn’t then it won’t open.”

Lelouch watched as the man’s gloved hands took the hand of his dead ancestor and placed it on the chest.

To his horror, the chest opened.  The skull was not covered in skin, but Lelouch could swear that the hair was golden blonde, like hers.  He noticed the skull had a scar on it.

Lelouch felt visibly sick.  She had often commented that he was the image of Aldwin Vi Britannia.  How could she even bear to look at him now, knowing he had the face of the man who had murdered her son?  She knew she had to have known long before he knew who she was. 

“Lulu, are you okay?  You’ve gone pale,” Shirley asked, concerned.

“Here, have some water,” Nina offered him a water bottle.

“Thanks, Nina,” he accepted gratefully.  He drank it, he felt much better.

He wondered if she hated him, but he would find out once he returned home.

* * *

 “Arturia, are you all right?  You watched Diethard’s broadcast?” he asked gently.

“Yes…I will be fine, you seem surprised, you did not know that I had sons?”

“It’s not in our history books,” Lelouch crossed his arms.

“I can see why,” she sighed.

“Because Aldwin X wanted no competition in the annals of history to contest his claim to the throne of Britannia,” Lelouch answered.

“No, because my sons were of unnatural birth, God saw fit to take them from me.  They all died young, all five of them.”

Lelouch was stunned, but then again that television special about the history of the Britannian Royal Family had made her angry already.  This was all new knowledge to him.

“I’m sorry,” he told her.

“You are too kind to me,” Saber told him, turning away.

He placed a hand on her shoulder.

“How did they die?” Lelouch asked.

“Gwydre died when he was gored to death by a giant boar, Twrch Trwyth, he died along with my two maternal uncles.  We were on a Quest for my cousin Culwhch, so he could marry Olwen.”

“And the others?” he asked.

"Durand and Leicheu died with me at Camlann.”

“Aldwin never believed they were truly my children, he believed they were bastards someone else had.”

“But how?”

“Merlin pulled a prank on me, he…gave me a man’s virile member so I could have children,” she explained.  “He did it to me on multiple occasions, said it would be good for me to have many sons.”

“ _WHAT_?!” Lelouch bawled in shock.

“My son Amhar…I slew him myself,” Arturia told him.

Lelouch was somewhat surprised.  Murdering family members was a common practice among the Britannian nobility, but he didn’t think it could occur in Camelot.

“Why did you kill him?” Lelouch asked.

“It’s no concern of yours!” Saber uncharacteristically snapped at him.

_He did something to her, but what could it be?  Wait…no, that’s too disgusting to even consider!_

Incest, he’d always heard the rumors, but she was far too righteous to do something that disgusting.  It must have been…

Lelouch shook his head; he decided not to push the subject of Amhar further.

“I knew he killed my son, but I did not learn of it until after I banished Aldwin. I should have killed him during our last fight, but I spared him due to my feelings for him.  All it did was bring me pain.”

“You should have killed him, how could you let him live?!” Lelouch shouted.  “All I have ever wanted to do was kill the person who murdered my mother!  You knew he killed your son, and you spared him!”

“Why do you complain, you are his descendant if I had killed him you would not be here, Lelouch Vi Britannia!  I made a just decision, he promised to never return to Britannia, I made him swear solemn oaths that I should never see him again.  He kept his oaths after that day, it was enough for me.”

Lelouch forced himself to calm down.  She was such a fascinating creature.  He could only gaze at her in silence.

Lelouch turned her around to face him.

“Do you hate me, for having his face, now that you know the truth of everything he did to you?” Lelouch asked her.

Saber looked at him, “You are not the man who murdered my son.  He is dead.  I don’t love him.  Not anymore.”

Lelouch got up and began to leave.

 “Please stay with me.  Will you…console me?” Arturia moved closer to him.

She pulled him down to kiss her.

“Yes, if that’s what you want right now, I can do that,” Lelouch told her gently.

This man was not Aldwin.  She had to remember that.  He was…

Important to her, she knew that much, but her emotions roiled inside her heart.  The storm that clouded her mind and made her feel like she was stumbling around in the dark.

“Lelouch…” Saber fought for words to leave her throat.  She couldn’t bring herself to say anything more.

She reached up and stroked his cheek.  It was a gesture that she’d done to Aldwin X, and Lelouch’s response was to deepen the kiss even further.

She led him back to the King’s bedchamber and led him to her bed.  She sat on it.

He heard the sound of something dropping.  Lelouch felt her take his hand and press it against her body.  It was warm and…

Lelouch looked down and blushed.  His hand was between her legs.  She lay back and sighed.

“Arturia…you’re so beautiful…” he whispered.

She smiled.  “Touch me.”

Lelouch was stunned. She wanted him to do this, and he found himself wanting it too.  He saw where his fingers were, this was something he could have never done with anyone at school, and he’d never gone this far with any of them.

He began to move his fingers on sheer instinct.  He noted her face and her reactions to his touch.

He heard her voice, it was hoarse and she called his name.  He was fascinated as he saw his finger slowly disappear inside her.  He felt her slick heat; he began rubbing just a little harder as she continued to writhe beneath him.  She pushed against him.

“So close…” she gasped.  “I’m going to…”

Then he remembered Aldwin’s memoirs.  He often described in lurid detail just what he enjoyed doing to her and how much it pleased him to see her reach the heights of pleasure.

It troubled him that his ancestor seemed to gloat over physical intimacy with her, treating it like she was just another dalliance to him.

This moment had become precious to him; she wasn’t just some girl he was fooling around with.

Seeing her this way made him…happy.  That was a strange way to describe what he felt, but it was true.  He was happy being with her like this.

He continued his ministrations, watching her face, reading her expressions when she began panting, he was somewhat startled.

“He’d touch you like this, you enjoyed it,” Lelouch prodded gently with his words. 

She gasped a reply, “Yes.”

“You were obviously flattered by the attention,” Lelouch observed, he watched as he began a rougher rhythm.

Her hips began to rock, she moaned.

He felt fluid on his fingers, she was soaking them.  He found it entirely exquisite.

“I never knew you could make that sound,” he purred.

“Lelouch,” she gazed at him, her eyes pleading.  “Please!”

His fingers continued with gentleness as he slowed down, drawing it out as much as possible.  Aldwin had never been this way; it seemed to please him how fast he could bring her to orgasm.

She cried out as she found release, he gazed at her.

"I want you, my adorable King of Knights,:: Lelouch said gently.  He kissed her mouth, he let her go.

She pulled him down into the bed and once they started, there would be no turning back.

He unbuttoned her shirt and pulled it apart.

He moved down to cup her small breasts in his hands.  They were lovely, he squeezed gently, enjoying the sound of her gasp.

Lelouch’s lips enclosed around a stiff nipple as he suckled them, letting his tongue taste them.

First one breast and then the other, he trailed kisses down her belly, towards her entrance.  He removed her trousers and undergarments, reverently parting her legs.  He was going to indulge himself.  He would taste her.

“Lelouch, get your mouth away from there—” her protest dissolved into a cry of pleasure as his tongue entered her, stimulating the sensitive nerves.  It lapped at her over and over until she spilled herself into his eager mouth.

“Tastes so good!” he growled.

“Get on top of me, I need you on me, inside me, soon!” she gasped.

Something snapped inside him, some unnatural urge to take her and claim her as his own, rough and harsh and fast.  It was animalistic and so unlike him, it terrified him, but he wanted it anyway.

He pulled off his clothes and buried himself inside her.

She cried out and he stopped.

“Does it hurt?” he managed to form coherent words.

“I’ll be fine, you’re just bigger than I expected.  Let me relax,” she sighed.

He waited for what seemed like an agonizing eternity as he felt her body slacken against him.

He began to thrust his hips; the rhythm was fast and quick.  The friction was exquisite.

This was not the slow, gentle first time he would have liked to give her.

“This is marvelous!  Youth is such a wonderful thing.  Endless possibilities, hopes and dreams, and passion unencumbered  You love me fiercely!” she laughed, urging him on.

They were wild, frantic creatures, driven on by lust and wantonness that came from desperation.

His hands pawed her breasts, not caring if he was rough; she dug her nails into his back, enough to draw blood.  The madness that came over him made all coherent thoughts leave his mind save one, to spend himself inside her body.

He grunted again and again, he was covered in sweat. Arturia noticed he said very little, it was unlike him to not speak.

“Lelouch?  What is it?  This isn’t like you,” she soothed him.  She placed her hand on his thin stomach and felt something move.  It wriggled under her hand and it was beneath his skin.

“Arturia, I can’t hold back anymore!” he moaned. 

He spilled himself, thrusting as hard and deep as he could, his last coherent thought had been to pull out.

She cried out his name, her body clamped down on his virile member, milking his seed, taking it inside her body. Even after he spent himself, he kept thrusting.   He forced himself to slow from sheer exhaustion.

She stroked his face, brushing her hand down his cheek.

“Splendid…” she moaned.  “So splendid. Lelouch…you magnificent bastard!  By my faith, I never knew it could feel so good!”

He could see his seed; he’d spilled inside her, between her thighs, all over her lower torso. He didn’t think he could do that to her, he’d been trying to pull out, it hadn’t happened.

Some perverse part of him found it beautiful.

He collapsed, exhausted.

“This is not how I wanted this to go,” he admitted.  “You deserve better.  I…I don’t know what happened to me...I couldn’t control myself.”

“I have been comforted and that will be enough. Something is wrong; you’ve never behaved this way around women.  This isn’t like you.”

“Since we started, something’s come over me when I’m with you.  I don’t understand what’s happening to me.”

“I’ll have Rin look into it,” she whispered. “Go to sleep.”

He closed his eyes and sleep soundly, Arturia gazed at him.  Something was wrong with him, and she wondered if she had something to do with it.


End file.
